


Blondie

by CrystalMoonlightI



Series: Huniepop: Problems Series - Relationship Problems [3]
Category: HuniePop (Video Game)
Genre: Attempted Seduction, Blackmail, Cheerleaders, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Eventual Sex, Ex-Girlfriend, Explicit Language, F/M, Fairies, Flirting, French Kissing, Guilt, Huniepop, Innuendo, Insecurity, Kissing, Loss of Virginity, Magic, Moral Dilemmas, Musicians, POV Third Person, Past Relationship(s), Phobias, Romance, Sexting, Sexual Content, Violins, single mother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2017-11-14
Packaged: 2018-08-28 18:14:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 74,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8456734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalMoonlightI/pseuds/CrystalMoonlightI
Summary: Tiffany Maye - a beautiful cheerleader with fantastic grades and an unbeatable smile. She's the perfect girl next door. Her classmates want to be like her, and guys would fight for a chance to date her. However, beneath the carefree exterior she's far more troubled than she lets on.Mike decides to stick by her - drawn ever closer by the pristine personality she portrays. However, he soon realizes that he's in for a rough ride. His past with Kyanna is still an issue - not to mention he has to contend with a vengeful Audrey. Beset on all sides by threats, will the young singer be able to keep his relationship with Tiffany alive?There's no such thing as perfection - even if for the longest time Mike has tried to believe in such an empty ideal. Everybody, no matter how wonderful, has the potential to be morally gray.





	1. Blondie - Part I

_Decisions, a single one held the power to make or break even the strongest of people. The freedom of choice was what made every so human so unique from their animal counterparts. Unbound by the chains of instinct, people walked the earth freely with the ability to shape their own paths in life. Some used the freedom of their choices to live selfless lives for the sake of others, while many simply wandered in the hope of arriving at a destination. Some out there were all too aware of the weight of their actions. Meanwhile, there were those who simply didn't care about who they hurt in the pursuit of their happiness._

_Opening one door meant that others would shut around it. Having the keys to one pathway more often than not resulted in the closure of another. Thus, in a sea of conflicting thoughts and feelings, humans brought each other joy and despair in equal measure.  
_

_Once young man, Mike Andrew Winters, stood on the verge of making a decision that would alter the course of his life. The futures of two, no, three women stood in the balance. Kyu Sugardust; Audrey Belrose and Tiffany Maye. For the longest time his heart had stood divided between the trio. The Redhead; the Blonde cheerleader, and the Magenta-haired fairy. In his hands, Mikey held the cards to a future. The curtain was about to rise on a grand performance. It was time for another door to open. Fair golden locks and sapphire blue eyes, a picture of domestic bliss amidst a sea of flawed beauty. Would Tiffany Maye and Mike Winters find lasting happiness together? The clock turned back to that fateful evening in the bar, and the hour was at hand._

* * *

"I'm going to stand by Tiffany… she's been so good to me these past couple of months. I really want to believe there's something special between us."

Kyu clutched the phone in her hand a little tighter as the reality sank in. It seemed as though Mike had chosen. "I'm glad, bro. Blondie… she's a little prim and proper, but I bet she'll be good for you in the long run."

Mike breathed a sigh of relief as he slumped against his table in the bar. Honestly, he felt happy about this. There wasn't much room for doubt. Tiffany was a good girl, a real sweetheart. How many college girls in this town had such a shining record of achievement? Captain of the cheer squad; amazing student accolades and one of the most heartfelt; compassionate personalities to boot.

Kyu however, felt her little fairy heart stiffen within her chest. She was just thankful Mikey could not see her face right now, the gloomy frown or her glassy eyes, "Gotta give you some credit, homeboy," she laughed though her teeth and sank into the couch, "I didn't think you were into that kinda thing!"

Phone pressed between his shoulder and ear, Mike took a sip of golden liquor and smiled softly. He motioned toward the bartender for another round before carrying on, "I don't quite think I follow."

"Dude," Kyu sighed in vain hope that the point would get home. Mikey's silence however, seemed to prove her wrong on every level. "Tiffany… it's like some girl next door kinda shit! If things go well between you two," she paused for a moment, mainly to bite her lip and ease the tension she felt, "…if stuff ends up peachy, I can already tell how this is gonna end."

The image of a white-brick home in a nice neighbourhood: it was complete with a little picket fence and a pet puppy called Fido. The fairy couldn't shake the thought from her mind no matter how hard she tried, and dear God did she want to, "I can see it now, Mikey! A little house in the suburbs, a car and a steady job! You'll end up living the dream."

Another glass arrived on the table filled to the middle with a coppery liquid. Mikey moved the phone from his ear to thank the bartender, "Awesome, put it on my tab if that's alright!"

"Sure thing Mikey, sure thing." The man serving the drink flashed a smile and looked across to another customer, "I'll be with you in a sec!"

Going back to the business at hand, the blonde musician leaned into the comfort of his little corner booth and brought the phone closer, "You're jumping a little far ahead here, Kyu," regardless, he still chuckled at the thought, "I mean, we're talking about a girl I haven't been dating too long."

Kyu felt something twisting up inside her. It was her job to help Mike find happiness and answer his prayers. So, why did she have such a heavy feeling dragging down her heart like a weight? It was uncharacteristically dark, and she knew it. Alas, in the blackness of the room, her magical eyes glowed a hue of deepest emerald green. Unable to control herself, her lips curved into a mean little smirk.

"Just think about it," her voice kept the same cheery projection, "No more late nights playing gigs, but hey, she's totally worth it, am I right?" The end message however, could not have been greyer if she tried. Worse, Kyu knew it too, and feeling the way she did right now, she didn't care.

Mike sat oblivious and started on his next glass of Firewater. After a hearty gulp, he set the glass down with a clank. He kept on thinking about Tiffany, her silky golden hair and those sparkly blue eyes. She wasn't a fairy, but hell, those orbs of hers glittered with their own magic. "Of course she's worth it. I couldn't be more thankful to have her in my life. The past couple of months, seeing her cheery smile and hanging out at the cinema…. It's been nice."

"Aww! Look at you… getting all sentimental." Kyu was a true master at hiding her emotions behind a cheerful façade. It made it all the easier for her to be supportive of Mikey – even with a little tear leaking softly from her jealousy-tinted eye, "You humans and your romantic stuff! You know… when two fairies like each other, we just fuck… for real!"

That was definitely something Kyu would say. Speaking of which, was it a normal thing for all of these love fairies to be so, well, horny? The thought of it made the young gentleman feel a little strange. One Kyu Sugardust felt like enough for the whole world to handle.

"It's not as simple as 'Hey let's fuck' when you're a human, Kyu." Indeed, the idea of it being that easy was actually a little jarring for Mikey. This whole 'fairies are real' thing still played strange little games with his concept of reality at times as well.

"Spoken like a true human that's never screwed a fairy girl before." Kyu smiled wickedly. It was time to steer this line of conversation back under her control. Mikey was so dense at times – it made him even more fun to play with, "It's funny actually… because I know a couple of girls in my office, and there's one in particular….."

Hand clenching her chest gently, eyes closed; Kyu continued regardless of the weight in her chest, "She'd shag you senseless. I'm talking none-stop twenty-four seven!"

The irony burned. Could she have made it anymore obvious if she tried? Pangs of rouge emotion raging within, Kyu decided to continue, her tone still lending a great deal of playful allure, "But… if you wanna stick with your pretty cheerleader… I guess that's cool!"

"Oh yeah," Mike slammed back the rest of his drink, basking in the pleasure of the burn as it slid down his throat. Content, he stood from his seat; popped a couple more buttons on his shirt and finally made his way toward the door, "….Girls from your world have all sorts of awesome powers."

The list stood out in his mind clear as daylight, "You have those cool wings, and you can fly, not to mention all the funky magic tricks you pull around the house when you change your outfit. Why would magic creatures bother with a regular human like me?"

"You'd be surprised, Mikey, really surprised," Kyu's heart thumped in her chest intensely as a bass drum, "Anywho, I'm just fucking with ya! Good luck with Blondie! I bet it'll be fun… popping that sweet little cherry and all!"

Mike sensed something about the tone of this conversation. It seemed a little more erratic than usual, even to Kyu standards. Regardless, he simply shrugged as he made his way out into the street.

"As long as you're here to watch my back I think I'll be fine." Indeed, Kyu certainly was his guardian angel. Well, she was a fairy of course, but the point still stood.

"You betcha! That's what I'm here for! Kyu Sugardust… love fairy extraordinaire!" She first arrived in the human world thinking this would be just another job. However, in hindsight, she couldn't have been more wrong! Never in a hundred years did she think things would play out like this.

A tired sigh slipped free of the curly-haired magical girl's lips. For such a nice person dense wasn't even the word in regard to Mikey. When it came to working out matters of love, he was totally useless.

It would've been a lie to say holding this conversation so far was easy. More than anything Kyu wanted to get off the phone and collect her thoughts. Thankfully, the sight of a giant robot appearing on the television screen was just the excuse she needed, "Ooooooo! New anime! Mikey, bro… I'll see you when you get home, kay? New episode of Mech Blaster coming on!"

The cool night air proved a nice contrast for Mike as he strolled through the quiet streets at this time in the evening. Hearing Kyu's declaration of anime was enough to make him roll his eyes in tow with a goofy snigger, "Have fun! Should be back in about an hour! I think I'll grab some takeout and walk home for a change."

"Bring pizza dude… BRING PIZZA." Kyu's attention span being wonderfully short, her gaze already seemed fixated on the sight of flashing lights and flying fists. Two monstrous battle-mechs duked it out in the middle of some random Japanese city. This went on all while people screamed in the familiar foreign language.

"Alright, alright," came Mike's voice as he turned the street corner, coming to a stop just outside a grungy little eating establishment. A small brick building with dirty glass windows and a half-broken neon sign. Above the doorway in faded, flickering green lettering was the name 'Glenberry Pizza' in full glory. "I'll call you back once I've got the food."

The line finally went dead just after that. Kyu now sat alone in the confines of Mike's empty apartment, her expression holding somewhere halfway between a smile and a frown. She felt such relief. Having to hold a front for so long, it was extremely tiring.

Able to unleash the full extent of how she felt at last, the fairy retracted her wings and reached for a pillow from the other side of the couch. Eyes closed, she allowed her thoughts to fall into recollection of her time with Mikey. Subconsciously, she squeezed the pillow close to her chest and sighed. "You're totally clueless, Mikey bro…. God, if the rest of the girls in the office could see me now… they'd be laughing at me for sure."

* * *

A little bell rang out as Mikey stepped through the doorway. Slightly tipsy at the very least, he barely noticed the rundown surroundings of the pizzeria as he came to the counter. Behind it stood something of a mindless female worker, her expression attuned to that of the washed-out pizza place. "Welcome to Glenberry pizza, home of the Large Special. You can get a large pizza and a soda of your choice for just eight-"

"Mike! Hey you! I didn't know you came in here!" An all too familiar voice, one that served to save the musician from the hapless droning of the girl trying to pedal pizza. Without so much as a warning, Mike felt arms swoop affectionately around his waist, squeezing him tightly as if he were the appointed teddy bear of the evening.

"Tiffany, sweetheart." Bumping into her like this was even more reason to feel happy. Not only had he finally made his choice, but the very same lady now stood before him with a warm glow on her delicate cheeks. She had her head buried in his chest, and seemed to be softly breathing in the scent of his cologne.

"Hey mister!" The cheerleader shuffled back a couple of steps and let go, "I was just about to call you!"

Leaning in, she gave Mikey a soft peck on the lips and looked deeply into his eyes. She loved them, their almost hypnotic green glow, like two beautiful emeralds reflected against the light. It was rare for natural blond-haired people to have green eyes. "About this weekend," she continued, "If you still want to come over... feel free! My mom won't be home until Tuesday now so…."

Tiffany felt a rising heat in her face, the intensity of it enough to make her realize outright she had a faint pink blush flaring, "…We'll have the house to ourselves…." Pushing the slightly more loving thoughts aside, she fought hard to get back into cheery mode, "C'mon! You know it'll be fun! We could ice skate first, then go back to my place and watch a movie, and then there's-"

"Of course! I don't have anything planned, so count me in." It was a simple enough conclusion. Mike didn't have to think twice, not even for a second. To be able to spend time with Tiffy, his little ray of sunshine, and alone no less, instant deal winner. That and he'd never seen her house before. It would be an outright lie to say he wasn't interested in seeing the place that this bubbly young lady called home.

"Great!" Tiffany squeaked in excitement and wrapped her arms around Mikey's broad shoulders. In her heart she'd felt herself getting closer to this guy with every date they went on. Now, two months down the line, she was starting to feel very curious about a few things. Would Mikey be the same smooth gentleman if she got him alone on her own terms? Well, there was only one way to find out.

"Saturday," Miss Maye whispered with a little wink. "Oh, and Mike... keep your phone on tonight, okay? There's, something I want to tell you… but erm…." She looked around to check if any of the patrons were looking in her direction. Thankfully, not, so she leaned in and brushed against his ear with her lips, "It's a surprise…."

Mike's heart thundered. Just what did Tiffany mean by that, exactly? This whole thing scenario was strange. Recently the two of them had become a little distant. Now, out of the blue no less, Tiff was acting much more outgoing. She even had a playful little flare to her that he'd never seen before. It was an interesting development.

Was there more to her beneath the surface than he'd originally thought? Was she the perfect student by day and someone else entirely by night? One thing rang true; he'd never seen her in the comfort of her home environment. Therefore, how this weekend could play out was a mystery entirely.

"Here's your order, Miss." The same dreary-eyed girl from before produced a little bag and sat it on the counter with a plastic fork. Tiffany chuckled, moving away from Mike for a moment to get her food. She looped the handles of the plastic bag around her wrist. "Thank you!"

Looking back to Mikey now, Tiffany tottered over from the counter. She tilted her head like a happy little puppy and gave a most honestly heartfelt smile. "Meet me on Campus at noon! Then we can go back to my house together... or we could go somewhere first! Totally up to you."

For a moment, her thoughts raced, as she considered something more. "Oh, and if you want… you could stay the night." A shy smile curving her lips, she was quick to clarify, "We have spare rooms, sooo… If you want to stay then… be my quest! I'll even cook for you!"

Mike felt as dazzled as a deer in headlights. The sheer volume of generosity put forward by Miss Maye served to overwhelm him, but not in a bad way, that was for sure. Indeed, he was quite certain he'd never met a girl as kind and talented as this one before. "I'd like that! The weekend it is!"

"Then it's a date!" Tiffany leaned in and connected to Mike with her deep blue eyes, her gaze showing all too clearly her desire for a kiss. "I'll look forward to it…" She gently pressed her lips against those of her boyfriend and took a moment to savor the feeling of closeness and compassion. Mikey was a genuinely nice guy, almost too good for this crazy little town.

When they parted, there was a brief moment of silence. Mike thought back to the events earlier this evening. Yes indeed, he had made the right choice to pursue the cheerleader. After all, she had such a soft and considerate persona.

"Thanks Tiff, for being so good to me and all." She'd always been honest and kind, and she'd never led him astray or played around with his feelings like Audrey did. Sticking with her, it was the path to a good steady relationship, something he was far from guaranteed if he took another path.

"You're welcome, hon," Tiffany giggled and made her way toward the door. It was getting late, and she still had Biology notes to take for tomorrow's classes. "I'll text you later! Don't stay out too late, okay?"

"I'll give it my best shot," Mike replied as he waved his chirpy little lady off for the evening. Finally alone with his thoughts, he turned to look up at the flickering overhead board listing the various types of pizza, "Now… what do I want?"

He thought back to Tiffany's smiling face between his food dilemma. All things considered, it'd been a good night. "She really is a gem…. You don't get many girls like her."

* * *

Kyu slept soundly on the couch with a pizza box across her lap. Soft breathing resonated from her, one of the few sounds to fill the apartment aside the faint humming of the television. Her little wings twitched for a moment. She was smiling about something, "Hey… How about we- No… not until I take off my…."

Mike turned over the television and let out a yawn. He couldn't deal with another moment of anime if he tried. How Kyu could sit there watching it all day between 'other' entertainment channels was something he couldn't quite understand. Smiling at the sight of his sleeping fairy guardian as she muttered in her sleep, he took the empty food container from her and sat it on the coffee table. Looking left and right, he finally found what he was looking for, "A pillow, there we are…."

Nodding contently, the blond singer carefully slipped the little cushion beneath Kyu's magenta locks. She looked peaceful, save for a tiny string of drool leaking from the corner of her mouth. "Sleep tight... you crazy girl you." After giving Miss Sugardust a brotherly pat on the head Mikey flicked off the television with the remote and got up from the couch.

His eyes adjusting quickly to the encroaching darkness in the lounge, he waded past the miniature obstacle course of chairs and furniture to arrive in the kitchen area. Extremely sleepy to say the least, he slumped against the fridge and yanked the door open. His eyes lazily scanned the disorganized contents therein until he found what he wanted, "Apple juice… there you are…."

Fruit juice, the beverage fit for kings. A deft chugging session saw the entirety of the drink gone in just a couple of moments. It was a nice change given all the alcohol today. Sated at last, he slung the empty carton into the trash and shuffled inside the bedroom. The comfortable sight of his bed, it was something he needed at this late hour.

It didn't take Mike long to side off his trousers and kick them across the room in a single swift motion, an action he'd perfected after many late evenings of staying up because of concerts or the like. This time around, it was a late night television rampage, but the effect was much the same.

"Hello bed," the comfort of the cool mattress against his skin was a sensation words could not describe. Reaching across to the bedside with a contented smile, Mikey fumbled for a moment and took hold of his phone. "Huh… a message from Tiffany?"

A quick swipe against the screen brought the inbox to life, and his eyes to widen, "Fuck me."

Mikey scanned the message, and was so pleasantly surprised that he felt the need to read it again for the sake of confirmation, "I saw the way you kept staring at me the other week after my cheer rally, so… I thought I'd take a picture for you…. A little pervy I know, but hey… maybe when you come over this weekend you could help me? You're a sweet guy, Mike… handsome too…. It's enough to make a girl feel a little lightheaded…. Have fun with my present – Tiffy. P.S, it's for your eyes only, my handsome prince…."

A sight beyond words, in the image Miss Maye lay sprawled across her bed clad in nothing but her underwear. One hand rested within the censoring confines of her tight-fitting white undergarments: the expression upon her face appeared to be nothing short of total bliss as she caressed her sensitive feminine assets with a naughty red flush across her face. Her expression was really dirty, as if she loved every second of it.

"Holy shit," Mike threw his head back to catch a breath. This kind of thing was exactly the opposite of what he was expecting. But hey, everybody had a hidden side, right? Perhaps this more intimate part of Tiffany's personality had always been there: after all, was it so difficult to think that beneath her lovely little exterior she was looking for the more intimate embrace of love?

To say he was caught off guard was the biggest understatement of the day. Regardless, Mikey looked to the ceiling, his free hand resting upon his chest to keep track of the thumping heartbeat he felt. Regardless of how sudden a surprise this whole thing was, he couldn't stop looking at the picture Tiffany sent. "Damn… she's really hot…."

True, the young man felt the slightest twinge of guilt for looking upon Miss Maye with such desire, especially since he'd developed this apparently false imagine in his mind of her picture-perfect lifestyle. It proved two things in his mind. First – everybody, no matter how angelic they seemed, had desires and a more passionate side to them.

Secondly, a thought that seemed to be sitting at the forefront as his emerald eyes remained fixated on the risky pic, "This weekend might turn out to be very interesting..."

There was no denying it at this point: the cheerleader most certainly had Mike Winters on her radar.

**To be continued….**


	2. Blondie - Part II

The ice skating rink – a solid dating location for couples of most ages. With it being the weekend, the place was almost full to the brim with people looking to enjoy their time off work, or simply bask in in the cooling atmosphere as the summer months were fast approaching. Such an unexpected change of itinerary however, was not something Mike found himself prepared for. Then again, in life there were sometimes complications that couldn't be avoided.

Running a hand through his peroxide hair, the musician gave a tired sigh. It was a nightmare diverting over here on such short notice, especially with his apartment being at the complete opposite side of town. Phone in hand, he decided to revisit the text message he'd received earlier:

' _Hey Mikey, there's been a little change of plans I'm afraid. My mom came home for the afternoon. She won't be leaving until eight this evening, so how about we go do something together while we wait? I've got a great idea! Let's go ice skating! Meet me at the rink just before noon, and don't be late, mister! Your timekeeping is like, crazy random! See you soon! Love Tiffany! x x x'_

Yet the face of his silver watch didn't fill him with a great deal of optimism, "It's already twelve thirty…."

A glance across the entrance hall revealed no signs of those vibrant blonde pigtails or those powerful blue eyes. Instead, he sat alone amidst a sea of people, staring down at the LED screen of the Huniebee. Ah, this phone was indeed a marvel of technology. Its ability to automatically compile a profile of a girl based upon past dates and social activities was, well, both unnerving and a piece of practical genius.

"I hope she's coming. She seemed so pumped about spending time together when I bumped into her the other d-"

"Hey! Sorry I'm a little late! My mom kept me, and darn… wouldn't you know it? The bus was late."

Tiffany Maye, complete with a red top shaped in a heart around the bust, a white mini-skirt, and some long white boots. Mike felt his cheeks warm the tiniest bit. Damn did she look good, both to his approval and a spike of jealously as other guys were looking in their direction.

The cheerleader eyed her boyfriend. His simple attire seemed to go hand in hand with the casual setting of their date. One aspect, she really liked however, "Hey… I love the checked shirt! Is it new?"

He nodded back with a warm smile, his face seeming to beam with a little hint of pride, "Oh, this thing here? Yes… I picked it up the other day. It goes really well with the black trousers, I think!"

"You bet it does," she grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. Boy, did the blue-eyed lady want to enjoy the company of her man, now more than anything. It was the same as always with mom, pointless questions and flirtatious teasing about her love life. Honestly, it was something Jessie didn't have much of a right to know about.

"Hey… are you alright, Tiff? That frown doesn't suit you…."

 _Damn_ , Tiffany cursed. She'd been caught in her own little world of thought. Family dynamics, just about the only thing guaranteed to bring a scowl to her usually bright exterior. She needed to save the conversation before Mikey worried too much. "Of course, silly! I'm fine… it's just been a busy morning, that's all."

A smile in response from Mike, and just like that she could rest with the knowledge that everything was safe for now. With all said and done, he took her by the hand, something that caused a tiny flame of warmth to ignite in her heart after the long drawn out exchange with mother earlier.

"You ready to skate? I warn you… I'm pretty bad at this kind of thing."

Yet such an admission only caused Tiffany to giggle. His honesty was cute; most guys wouldn't bare a weakness so casually. "Of course I'm ready! Let's get shakin, bacon!"

Mikey sighed and shook his head for a moment, "You know… I never understood the whole 'bacon' thing. If that's an inside joke you'll have to let me into the loop."

Tiffany winked - a playful wink that served to soften his heart. She leaned in, and Mike felt his heartbeat increasing. "Bacon," the cheerleader whispered with honey smooth sensuality into his ear, "….It's my favorite breakfast food of the day…."

It was true what they said; you did learn something new every day. However, Mike was pretty sure he'd never see bacon in the same light ever again. That tone of voice, it was the kind that had the power to change everything.

 _Bedroom voice and bacon,_ he thought with a perplexed smile. This was already shaping up to be a very interesting date.

* * *

Watching Tiffany glide so effortlessly across the ice was perhaps one of the most moving things Mike had seen in a very long time. She held the form and grace of a figure skater, and that contented smile upon her lips, it was something he'd not soon forget. The poise of her every movement, the intensity, it melded seamlessly. He envisioned the aura of her body as a cooling; calming wave of blue. It danced around her with magical radiance in unison to the chiming of beautiful classical instruments. Each passing second seemed to last eternally, and within the confines of his own mind Mike found solace. Such a sight of purity, it was beyond his capacity to handle.

"Beautiful…." A tear slid from his eye as Tiffany was already too far ahead to catch. "Her every move is like art…."

He heard a requiem in his soul, a reminder of the past, or perhaps a distant flicker from a time long forgotten. To savour such memory was all he wanted. The lights shone with brilliance in his heart as he stood tall and proud, his eyes cast downward from the highest balcony of a wide velvet theatre.

In the centre stage, a woman of majesty, hair of gorgeous golden blonde, her slender body adorned in a scarlet dress of divine beauty – she was ready to give her love to the whole world. This night would be the biggest show of her life. Mike continued to watch the scene unfold, his mind flickering between the reality of his girlfriend as she skated, and the fantasy of the scarlet lady who held the violin in her hands. Such a form of poetic bliss brought his soul to a shimmer.

"Miss Scarlett… oh how I wish I'd known you…." Another tear against the ice, a farewell to a dusty memory forgotten by the sands in the hourglass.

"Hey Mike!" Tiffany's voice brought a return to the reality. He watched with a happy smile, quickly drying his eyes as she came over to join him. "Let me sit down, kay? I feel kinda bad leaving you on the bench like this while I have so much fun."

"It's fine, it's fine," he reassured her, "I already told you I'm a terrible skater. That and I had a perfectly good time watching you out there. You're a natural!"

"Oh hush…" The blush on her cheeks was cause enough to make him smile even more, too. "I'm not that good," Miss Maye insisted, "I had lots of practice, though…."

Mike sat in deep thought about it for the moment. Tiffany skated with enough skill to put someone semi-professional to shame. Could she have had lessons from a proper teacher? Either way, whomever she learned from must have been on a level far beyond most people. The smile on her face as she slid without a shred of fear across the rink – she looked so content, so free.

 _Skating must be pretty special to her_ , he thought with a smile all of his own.

* * *

The setting of the sun was enough to make Tiffany feel at ease. The flickering embers of light were all she wanted, the only catalyst to make her tired body float gently amidst a sea of relaxation. Her and Mike had been at the skating rink all day long. It was about time to head back to her place now. She could only pray that Jessie was gone. It was a faint hope – but one she clung to out of nervousness. The last thing the younger Maye needed was the sensual teasing of her cougar mother to scare her boyfriend away.

"It's been a tired kinda day," The comfort was something the girl sorely needed. She didn't think twice about resting her weary head against Mike's shoulder, her lips curving into a smile.

"You must be beat," the musician's smooth voice chimed in her ears softly. Man, been able to spend time with him like this between her classes sure was lovely.

"Watching you on the ice today… it made me feel really happy."

Bittersweet, Tiffany couldn't argue with how she felt, especially when she considered who her tutor was all those long years ago. It was a grey cloud, overall, too tainted to be white, but also a piece of her past too cherished to be black. Jessie did indeed have a lot to answer for.

"Hey… Mikey?" The memory of her mother only brought more questions, a greater magnitude of things the blonde haired girl wondered. Was she the only one who felt this way about somebody so close to her?

"Do you… get along with your parents?" She linked her arm with his, wanting to feel a little extra closeness in reflection. It wasn't easy for her to ask such a thing.

Silence, it descended in a shroud as a knot formed in the stomach of the girl. She waited, eyes closed, at least a little fearful she'd asked something perhaps a little too personal.

"I don't have a mother or a father." Yet Mike's response couldn't have served to surprise her more. Now she felt worse about it, worse for asking, worse for bringing up the mention of family in the first place.

"I'm sorry." How could she have been so insensitive? God, why did her mother provoke such powerful emotions inside her?

The cheerleader looked nervously into Mike's green eyes, but he was smiling the whole time. "Don't you worry about it," he assured warmly. "I still have a place I can call home. My uncle and my aunt raised me. I owe them an awful lot… they took me when I was just a year old, and I've been with them ever since. I've got a crazy cousin too, but I've not seen her in a while."

Tiffany wasn't sure if it was her place to pry any further. Yet _something_ deep in heart kept on pushing her. For better or worse, she wanted to know more about the person she was with, what his family was like. "It sounds like you care about them so much…. Must be nice… having people you can depend on like that."

She watched as Mike's smile turned a little sad, its usual flare being doused, "I never really knew much about dad. Mom? Well… she passed on when I was just a baby. My uncle loved her so much. He always told me stories about how the two of them used to go everywhere together. I guess that's one of the reasons he took me in… he wouldn't let his little sister's kid go without a home."

There was something about all this that made Tiffany quake inside. When Mike brought the full intensity of his emerald orbs upon her, she felt her gaze shrink away. "What about you, Tiff? You get along with your folks?"

The blackness of a storm cloud, a powerful rainstorm to end all those before it – Tiffany froze as the question came so suddenly. Putting how she felt about the woman she called Jessie into words was not something she could do with ease, especially after so much had happened.

"It's just me and mom," she began in the only way she knew how. "I guess you could-"

An inevitable pause came as Tiffany struggled. God, why was it so hard to put things into words when it came to Jessica? Never before had somebody held the power to make her heart swell with true conflict. Ambiguity – man, did she hate it. Things would be so much easier if they came in black or white.

"We don't get along too well… or should I say… we don't see eye to eye very often. I only go back home when she's away with work." It was an explanation simple and to the point, not just a simple rebuff of Mike's curiosity, but not deep enough to dredge up any of the discomforting memories of growing up at home. It would do for now.

Those distant pieces of the past still existed in a form. The sky of Tiffany's memories was dotted with greyed clouds. In her mind, she tried to keep the middle ground. Balance was good, balance was healthy, and as she drifted atop those memory clouds, her forgotten childhood reawakened by the coming of this conversation, she looked to those cloudy skies and shed a tear inside. In the eye of her mind, she wanted so many more of those clouds in her sky to be white and fluffy. Unfortunately, the revelation of the truth one day changed things forever.

' _Oh my god… did you hear about Tiffany Maye in the tenth grade? Her mom's Misty Peaks! Dude, I'm serious, her Ma's a fucking porn actress!'_

It only took one computer savvy classmate to bypass the protection of the school's internet, and suddenly, the horrifying truth came out. Mom's filthy secret was plastered across the walls like common knowledge. Nothing short of graduating was enough to wash away the dirty feeling that stained the younger Maye's skin.

"Hey Tiff… sweetheart, are you okay?"

A savior, a towline thrown amid a sea of drowning anguish. Tiffany felt herself pulled from the water, saved from sinking by the sound of Mike's soothing voice before it was too late. Her smile was weak, a little twisted, but she couldn't let him see the truth in her eyes. "I'm fine… I drifted off for a second. Totally had a _you moment_ there, huh?"

She felt her slender form taken into a warm embrace. It calmed her despite the sadness she felt. "….If you need me, I'm here for you Tiffany. I can't stand seeing that look in your eyes."

How did Mike know? Were her feelings that easy to predict when something upset her?

"I'm fine, Mikey. Not a single thing's bothering me! No sir." The closeness of their hug, it held healing powers in its own right. It wasn't enough to take the soreness of the past away, but to feel loved right now, it was such a relief.

"I'm just saying," Mike parted from their embrace and smiled weakly, "I'm always here if you need someone to talk to. Trust me… I know all too well what it's like to hide how you really feel."

Something about his words bothered her, made her feel a nervous twinge. Mike seemed at a glance to be one of the least troubled people she knew. Regardless, she couldn't shake the thankfulness she felt toward his empathy. He really cared about how she felt. It was a trait a lot of guys in this town seemed to be sorely lacking.

"Thank you…. I'll keep that in mind…." Tiffany leaned in to place a soft peck upon Mike's lips and chuckled. "Anyway," and just like that, the persona of sunshine returned, "Enough being gloomy! We're gonna have a great time tonight, I just know it."

Yet beneath her most cheerful of smiles, something felt painfully amiss. Tiffany felt it in her heart. Her mother's past had a nasty habit of catching up wherever she went. It only made her surer of one thing. No matter what happened, Mike could never be allowed to know the truth of the _family secret_. She'd had enough of feeling dirty for because of her mother's 'actions' to last her for a lifetime.

* * *

A large house with white bricks in a nice part of town – Mike stood in awe. He whistled at Tiffany to show his pleasant surprise, "Nice place you've got here."

He went about counting windows of the expansive abode – it came complete with a huge gravel driveway, and a large picket fence surrounding it. Honestly, it seemed reminiscent of Kyu's teasing the other night. The cheerleader's home did indeed look like a picture of domestic bliss. Just what did her mother do for a living to afford a place like this?

"Glad you like it," Tiffany beamed as she brushed past Mike to reach the doorway. She took the reddish-pink gym bag from over her shoulder and pulled the zip, seeming to fumble around inside it with a hint of frustration. "Now where did I put my… Ah, there they are."

The jangle of silvery keys in Tiffany's hand gave Mike a chuckle, "You'd be surprised how many times I lose mine during the average week."

With a click of the locks, Miss Maye swung the door open and spun around to Mike with a wink, "Welcome to my humble little home, Mister Winters."

 _Little_ was the last thing that came to mind when somebody looked at this house. True it wasn't estate sized or anything, nor a mansion, but it would be easy to fit a sizable family in a place like this, and such thought was simple speculation from observing the outside. Mikey could only begin to imagine the amount of space on the inside.

* * *

A wide lounge with expensive cream carpets, leather couches; hand crafted oaken furniture, and that was only the beginning of the amazement. Mike felt impressed with his own apartment, but this place was on another scale entirely. His eyes met with the sight of a television so large he could only dream of owning it with the money he earned singing in the band.

"Okay… I thought your hallway was pretty big… but this living room is HUGE." Setting down his night bag, he made his way across to one of the many couches spread out in the middle of the lounge, sitting neatly with his hands rested upon his lap. His 'guest behavior' was starting to kick in.

"You're not the first person to say that."

Tiffany seemed content to enjoy having the house, and her boyfriend, all to herself. She pattered across the carpet and sat beside him with a cheery little smile, cuddling close. "So… you want to watch a movie, maybe listen to a little music?"

Mike gave a nod as he returned her gentle cuddle, taking a moment to breathe in her scent. She was always so sweet, so familiar - it was comforting. His eyes panned toward the sight of a bookcase, a painted mahogany shade. It seemed stuffed to the brim with CD's. "That's one hell of a music library, if I do say so myself."

"Go ahead," Tiffany shuffled a little, her delicate fingers reaching up to pull the bands that held her pigtails in place. The wonderful fullness of her beautiful blonde hair cascaded down her back, going so far as to rest just slightly above her bottom. Jumping up from her spot beside Mike, she sauntered toward the bookcase. "Let's pick something together! We have so much music I don't even know what half of it is."

"I'm game for that," the musician followed in tow, honestly feeling a little excitement toward the idea of seeing the full glory of the collection. Just how many CD's were in there? It had to be a couple of hundred at least, and then there was the stack of dusty old records sitting beside the nearby coffee table as well. Now those would be worth a look for sure.

This bookcase was like something out of a dream for the young musician – a treasure trove that held his wildest dreams within. Everything from rock music, metal, European techno music, folk songs and even classical lined the shelves in wonderfully large abundance. He naturally gravitated toward the classical music section first.

Tiffany watched her man as his eyes scanned the one segment over and over. Was he looking for something in particular? Curious, she kept her gentle blue gaze in his direction. One of his fingers came up and rested upon the spine of a lone CD case.

"No way in hell…. You have a copy of _this_. It's the limited print, Live in Eaglewood edition. They only ever sold about two-hundred of these in the whole country…."

Miss Maye couldn't deny that everything from Mike's stunned surprise to his wide-eyed stare held her attention at this point. She looked at the CD he held in his hands, "Scarlett Wishes… The Requiem Tour? Mikey... I know you mentioned liking a little classical music but… wow! I'm surprised!"

This day was turning out to be full of little surprises. In the space of a single date Tiffany had learned so much about the guy she'd been with for the past couple of months.

Mike held out the CD for Tiffany to look at. She playfully plucked it from his hand and glanced at the cover.

"You'll have to excuse me for a moment. Would you mind pointing me in the direction of the bathroom?" However, before Tiffany was able to get a proper look at the artwork of the case Mike chimed in again.

"Sure thing," she came back in response. "Just go back into the hall, and it's the second door nearest the staircase."

"Awesome," just like that, Mikey zipped away.

Alone again, Tiffany felt her curiosity getting the better of her. Just what was so interesting about this CD to make Mike, a usually stoic guy at that, act with such an air of stunned, almost childlike surprise?

The front of the case depicted a young woman, no older than her mid-twenties at the very most. Her slender figure stood adorned in a long dress of finest crushed velvet, her dainty pale skin giving her the magical allure of a snow angel. Down her back, there flowed the most enchanting of bright blonde hair laced with rhythmic natural curls: all the while, her eyes shone a powerful shade of emerald green the likes of which only added to her wondrous beauty.

"How strange… something about this woman… it seems so familiar…."

Tiffany flipped the case over. She did not intend to give up her investigation until she'd found the underlying cause of this nagging feeling. At the bottom of the track list there was a hand-written signature in squiggly white pen, with the name signed in print just below.

"Angela Scarlett Winters? That sounds ver-"

"Sorry I left you by yourself for a moment. You all right, Tiffy? You're staring at that case like it's done something to offend you…"

Mike's return to the room set her mind into overtime. The cheerleader glanced down at the lady on the case, and back to the man in front of her, and back to the case a second time: she continued a cycle repeatedly. An ignition like fireworks went off in full festival celebration as the revelation finally struck home for the girl.

 _Mike Winters? Angela Scarlett Win-_ The blonde paused her thoughts. Placing the CD back into Mike's hands, she gave a warm but slightly stunned smile, "Hey…. Mike…. I have to say something before this drives me a little crazy. Your face... and your eyes... you look just like the girl on the front of the case…"

He didn't say a word. No, there was nothing but a thick blanket of empty silence. The smooth gent with his slicked hair remained bolted down, his expression portraying such a picture of uncertainty. Great, another ambiguous moment, Tiffany cringed a little.

"There's a pretty good reason for that, Tiff," Mike's lips curved into a smile. His eyes flashed with warmth, "She's was my mother… one of the most popular violinists around before I was born, too. Honestly, I'm a little surprised you didn't figure it out sooner, my last name and all."

Tiffany felt a little silly. Angela Winters, the same Angela Winters that granny used to listen to on the stereo when she babysat all those years ago. How did it take so long to recall the memory? Pushing aside her airheaded moment, the blonde could only chuckle, "That's so cool! You seem awfully calm about it though."

A shrug was all the response Mike felt this situation needed. His motivation concerning music was always his own, not just an ideal lost in the shadow of long departed family fortune. "….Most people who play classical around here make a big fuss about it. Me? I don't feel the need. After all, my mom doesn't define me. I'm my own guy."

' _After all, my mom doesn't define me. I'm my own guy.'_

Something about those words made Tiffany hurt inside, "I see..."

* * *

Midnight – Mike stared up at the pristine white patterns of the Guest Room ceiling. Overall, it had been a good night. It was difficult to say he hadn't enjoyed the simple pleasures of watching a movie and eating a home cooked lasagne dinner made by Tiffany's skilful hands. Boy, did that young lady know her way around making food.

Content, he turned over, wrapped in the confinues of his large warm bed, and gave a smile, "Time to get some sl-"

The creaking of the door – it was followed by the soft pattering of footsteps across the carpet. They crept closer and closer, until Mike found his eyes met with a pair of sparkly blue orbs of light.

"Hey you," Tiffany smiled, sticking out her tongue with childish playfulness. "You mind if I join you? I wouldn't mind stealing a hug or two…."

"How does one steal a hug, exactly?"

"Ohhhh, you'll see," Miss Maye winked.

Now there were two sharing the bed. Mike softly slinked his arm around Tiffany's slender middle, his heart jumping slightly at the warming contact of their bare skin. Wow, she looked good wearing that pristine white underwear, his eyes paying extra attention to the support her simple bra give to her _womany assets._

One of his hands was stolen in Tiffany's grasp. Inch by inch it was working lower and lower, until it was brought to rest upon her rounded, soft behind. The girl flushed, giving a naughty giggle, and she stuck out her tongue a second time, "Thaaaat's better…"

This was the perfect opportunity. The first move had been made, and by the girl in the equation no less. Every key rule of the gentleman's code was fulfilled, leaving Mike to run with the thin line of initiative he'd been given. He wasted not a moment, slowly leaning closer and closer to Tiffany. She seemed to be doing the same, somewhat receptacle to his advances. It was a good sign.

Blue eyes met green – two sets of pink lips locked together and in the heat of the powerful moment, the two young lovers moved on instinct, their arms and legs coiling together like snakes. Their skin caressed and touched while the only sound to break the silence in the darkened room was that of lips entwined.

Tiffany was the one who eventually slinked away first, their lips separating but still joined for the slightest moment by a glittering string of saliva. Little pants of breath rasped from her lips, as she laid against Mike's shirt clad chest, and sighed contentedly.

"Oh wow… that was really nice…."

Mike smiled, his hand delicately sliding upward until it rested upon Tiffany's back, "Thanks for inviting me over. It's been great so far… watching you skate… dinner, everything."

"It was my distinct pleasure," Tiffany replied while she give Mike's rippled chest a soft pat. "Say… how about we go for coffee tomorrow? I'd love to introduce you to one of my friends. I mean, I've been meaning to spend some time with her for weeks, but she's… how can I put it?"

Tiffany allowed brain to think of the right words to classify this very _special_ individual. "She's very… intense. Anyhow… she kinda shut herself away because of some guy. She wouldn't give me the details, but…"

One of Tiffany's friends? It didn't seem like a bad idea. Mike nodded in agreement, his eyes still subconsciously tracing the patterns across the darkened ceiling, "You want to do something to cheer her up, right? Of course. I'd be happy to go with you!"

"Yay! Thank you, Mike, that's really sweet of you." The cheerleader leaned in and gently placed her lips against her boyfriend's cheek.

Still, there was one thing that Tiffany knew she had to mention, "I should warm you though… she can be a little hot-headed. Just be patient with her, okay?

"Not a problem. Trust me; I've met some people with crazy tempers before. After dealing with that… I think I'm ready for anything." Burning red hair and eyes of deepest rouge, his former lover Audrey instantly came to mind. "Ready for _anything_..."

Mike allowed his tired head to sink into the welcoming hold of the pillow. Why worry? This was a friend of Tiffany Maye, an A grade student and captain of the university cheer squad. He would be perfectly fine.

**To be continued….**


	3. Blondie - Part III

Nutmeg Café – the regular evening patrons were beginning to thin out, leaving it feeling snug and quiet. Mikey, clad in a loosely buttoned shirt, casual trousers; polished black shoes, and his signature slicked peroxide hair, sat patiently, his fingers tapping against the table in time with a musical tune in his head.

A beat, a guitar riff, smooth lows and rhythmic highs; vocals that set the club ablaze with the cheering of the crowd. Sadly, this song would never meet the world. After all, the girl it was meant for had officially departed his relationship radar. However, it remained in his head – a powerful reminder of what could've been, but was instead just a distant memory.

"You're my firefly… sweetheart, honey. Yeah, such a sexy, sexy, pretty little thing… a girl so strong ya make my heart sing." Tapping, fingers paying homage to something that never came to pass. Yet he wondered. In a different time, in a different place, had there been a Mike Winters who walked a separate path entirely?

In essence, it was nothing more than a dream. The clanging of a cup against the table brought his thoughts to an abrupt end, a bright smile and serene blue eyes greeting him, "Man… she's late! Sorry I dragged you out here, Mikey! If she's not here by nine I think we should g-"

The little bell above the door jangled, the shallow thump of heeled shoes against the hardwood floors permeating the atmosphere with just a little sound, enough noise to break the veil of stillness that had long since descended. Mikey didn't bother looking up – far too interested in tapping his fingers against the side of his cup.

"Oh, here she is," Tiffany jumped up from her seat, "Hey, Audrey! We're over here."

"Gawwwd," came an obnoxious voice in return, "Talk about stupid! My cab was late… AGAIN!"

Mike froze, his breaths slow and laboured, his muscles tensing nervously in unease. He struggled to collect the pieces together, his hands shaking anxiously around the width of the coffee mug, "Oh shit…." That voice, terse and venomous all at the same time – Audrey Belrose. He dared not look.

Yet the luxury of avoidance was something he wouldn't get – not today at least. He looked up to find a pair of rouge eyes staring, piercing his own. There she stood, towering in all of her five-foot glory, hands on hips, gaze calm and somehow murderous at the same time.

"Audrey?" Tiffany chimed in, her voice serving as the only deterrence from the full intensity of the situation, "What's up? You're staring…."

Two sets of eyes locked together, not for a moment parting ways. The emerald green of the musician squirmed against the brutally powerful red of the party girl. Mike felt his heart thud inside his chest – the little red organ crashing headfirst into the pit of his stomach without mercy. This couldn't be happening. No, it was all in his head, right?

A smug smile, it made him feel even sicker inside, "Ohhhh, it's nothing!" Audrey grinned at him as bright as a sunrise, the slight twitch of her eye hidden behind a strand of hair, "So this is him, huh? Dammit…. No wonder you haven't been answering my calls."

Oblivious to the truth of the matter, Tiffany nodded with a hint of pride and puffed out her chest, taking hold of one of Mike's hands in her own, "Mike," she looked his way, "Oh my god…. You're going pale! Mikey…. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," a stiff mechanical nod. On reflex, impulse perhaps, he forced a smile, "So this is the friend you mentioned last night?"

"You bet," still tragically none the wiser, Tiffany looked from her boyfriend to the redhead – one of her best friends, and continued, "Audrey, meet Mike Winters," she looked back again, still happy as a kid in a candy store, "And Mikey… this is Audrey!"

"It's a real pleasure, hot stuff," Audrey outstretched one of her slender porcelain hands and struck home with a leer of murky glee, "You know," the frilly goddess continued with intent, "You remind me of this guy I knew... Weird, am I right?"

"C-crazy," Mike forced himself to return the gesture of her handshake, heart pulsing so violently it felt as though he'd throw up. The musician winced under the pressure of the hellion's grip, being so strong she was starting to crush his fingers. However, as soon as Tiffany looked away to have a sip of her coffee, Audrey winked at him with evil intent, softly caressing the side of his thumb before releasing her hold.

Mikey quietly breathed a sigh of relief – his hand flexed slightly in silent thanks that nothing was broken, "W-want me to get you a drink, Audrey?"

"I'll get it," Tiffany glanced toward Audrey and gave the warmest smile, "You want your regular, don't you? Extra milk?"

"Duhhh!" came Audrey in a little snort, "Would ya mind getting me a cookie too? I'm fucking starving…."

"Noooo problem!" Just like that, the cheerleader hopped up, adjusted the tassels on her skirt, and happily sauntered away toward the counter at the other side of the room, "Be right back! Why don't you two get acquainted?"

Mike was alone, helpless, Audrey's smile dropping from considerate and friendly to outright sour and vicious in less than a second flat, "Acquainted, huh?" She sneered, striking out with her foot under the table

"Oww, dammit," the blond man winced, ankle throbbing, "For God sakes, Audrey," he whispered under his breath, the pained expression not subsiding under the discomfort, "You're wearing heels… HEELS."

"Fucking bastard," the redhead growled under her breath, looking away in disgust for a moment toward her best friend, quite casually waiting in line to get her coffee, "Serves you right. You know…. When you mentioned a girl called 'Tiffany' outside the club the other day," Audrey looked back, glare switched to the 'kill' setting, "I had no idea you meant Tiffany motherfucking Mae… asshole…."

"You think I expected this, either? How in the hell was I supposed to-"

***Crunch***

Mike simmered, his smooth facial features twisting in agony most supreme as Audrey slammed the heel of her boot square in the middle of his toes.

"You think that's a fucking excuse, Mike?" She spat her words quietly, mercilessly, and folded her arms in dominance, "I gave you more than a month of my time, and here you are screwing around with Tiff like it's some soap opera crap."

"Hmph," Audrey scoffed, her delicate lips curving into a frown, "You fucked her yet? Not that I'd be surprised…. It didn't take you long with me, now did it?"

If there had ever been a recognized definition of Hell on earth, this was it. Mike sat having been blindsided by this development, utterly helpless, and frankly on the verge of a complete meltdown. The truth hurt – to see two girls he'd been _involved_ with, one of them still unaware of the facts, sat at the same table like this. The choice of his actions stood plain as daylight. Even the thickest shroud of denial couldn't save him here. By choosing one girl, he'd abandoned another to the harsh coldness of rejection.

"I'm sorry," he began at first, eyes looking up in pooling apology, "But in my defence here, you were the one who stopped calling m-"

Audrey's fist bumped against the table in a quiet showing of her searing rage, the sound in itself being enough to railroad her way to the front, "Because I was afraid of getting too involved. Shit, you really are a moron, aren't you? Not that it matters now…. Jeez, you're as bad as my old man…."

Defeated, reeling time and time again from the countless blows, Mike hung his head in surrender. This whole scenario was proving too much, "I didn't mean for this to happen. Seriously, I didn't have a damn clue…."

"You can stop apologizing too, fuck. It's getting really annoying!" The slightly raised voice of the frilly diva drew the attention of the patrons at the table to the side of them, but a deathly glare from the girl quickly put them in their place. Looking back to Mike, she honed her stare, "I'll get even for this… somehow… someway… _just_ … _you…wait…._ "

Audrey looked back toward the counter for a moment, eying her painfully ignorant best friend – essentially another victim of Mike's charade. Excuses wouldn't cut it. He was guilty, and boy, she wasn't going to accept anything else for an answer, "You can either make this up to me," she clasped her hands together, smiling wickedly, "Or I promise you, Mikey…. I'm going to make your life a living hell... pay you back for betraying me..."

"Here's your coffee," Tiffany returned with a little tray in hand, "Got you some extra creamer, and the cookie you wanted, too!"

"Thanks, girl! You're a lifesaver," Audrey looked across to Mike for a moment, her lips curving into the same sunshine smile she had before, "Ain't she sweet, Mike? You're _so lucky_ to have a girl like her."

Beneath the surface, this was brutal and relentless. Mike was smart, intelligent enough to realize the game his redhead ex was playing. Her every word was an assault on his defences, a glancing blow to wound him out of spite. Still, with Tiffany stood here like this he had little choice but to conform, trapped like a pitiful fly in the web of a devious spider.

"She treats me good. I'm very grateful," Mike had to force the smile he held. For every second it stayed plastered across his face, both unnatural and overly dramatic, it made his skin crawl.

"Awwww! Mike! You're sweet! Thank you!" Giving her boyfriend a little peck on her cheek, Tiffany set her perky little rear on the cushion of her seat, "So… Audrey," she thought back to the reason her friend had called her here, "You said you were having problems with a guy, right? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Naaaaa!" Audrey shook her head, that 'bad girl' attitude of hers spilling out to the forefront as cover, "Think I've got this under control after all! In fact, I've got an idea." She gave a subtle glance in Mike's direction before slowly sliding her delicate fingers into the pocket of her dress, pulling out a beat up little phone, "I might call the fucker right now…. That ought to put him in his place for being such a dickbag!"

"NEED TO USE THE RESTROOM! EXCUSE ME." Mike flew up from his seat – the extremely loud declaration attracting the unwanted attention of near enough every last patron in the coffee shop. Shit, this sure was degrading. He gazed back toward the two girls, watching in secret agony as Audrey flipped up the screen of her cell. "I'll be right back!"

He heard the redhead giggle in amusement, as he was halfway toward the bathroom door, the slanted 'male' sign serving salvation in his mind, "The men's room... at least she can't come in here."

* * *

"FUCK!" Mike snarled, slumping his both physically and mentally exhausted body against one of the water-dampened sinks. Looking up, he found his reflection, stressed, eyes glassy and shaken, staring back in utter disgust, "This is chaos…. DAMN IT ALL!"

"Yo, shut the fuck up, man! I'm Try'na take a shit in here," a voice bounced back from one of the bathroom stalls to the side, sounding gruff and masculine. "Where's the fuckin toilet paper when you need it?"

The musician fumbled in his pocket – his phone chiming loudly, just as he'd been warned moments earlier. He rolled his eyes, taking the device from its place of rest and flicked the screen most indignantly, "Why the hell are you doing this to me?"

"Because," Audrey chuckled over the line, "Nobody treats me like crap and gets away with it. Now, let's talk… and if I don't like what I hear… I'll pass the phone to my _friend_ here… You don't mind, do ya Tiff?"

"Of course not," Tiffany's voice only served to hurt him all the more.

"Okay, lover boy," the redhead began, the clattering of her cup in the background as she took a sip of her coffee, "Let's start at square fucking _one_ …. Why in the hell are you dating another girl? Do I look like an idiot? What am I? Some fucking doormat you wipe your feet on when you come home from the club at night?"

Mike felt his heart twisting up inside. This was nothing short of torture – it was draining him dry, leaving him feeling cold, dead and miserable on the inside, "I told you, Audrey," he spat with poison in his words, "I had no idea you two knew each other! Not to mention… you were the one that stopped calling ME! How am I supposed to feel about that, hmm? How was I supposed to feel?"

"Not a good enough answer, I'm afraid!" Audrey came back with the force a charging rhino, a blissful sigh of enjoyment crackling over the phone as she pondered, "Now, how to put this right? Wait… I have a perfect idea! You can meet me at Hot Springs across town tomorrow night! Oh, you better bring plenty of cash, too. I want champagne, the good stuff."

The singer felt so ill, the nausea coursing through his body - the stress being a bulldozer, crashing through his emotional walls, manifesting in a manically ruthless headache. "Fine… If that's what you want then fine! Just… DON'T drag her into your game! Tiffany doesn't deserve to get hurt because of my mistakes…."

Guilt – regardless of who was in the wrong here, Mikey still felt it, pulsing through his core in a perfect, callous union with his newfound anxiety. To think, this could have been avoided if he had simply chased Audrey when she ran away. Then again, if he'd done that then he wouldn't have met Tiffany – a woman he cared for deeply, whose well-being now hung in the balance.

"Well I suppose I could give you one more chance…." Audrey's words came slow and painstaking. She certainly was enjoying this, "I'm gonna send you a text later tonight. If you really want my forgiveness you should do exactly what I tell you, got it?"

"Loud and clear. I understand," Mike's voice was small, broken, borderline monotone. He'd been pushed into a corner from which there was no escape. His hand shuddered, as it remained clasped around the phone, his visage in the mirror pasty; washed out, almost ghostly in its shade. "Just don't hurt her… promise me that. Tiff can never know."

"Why should I make you any promises?" Audrey slung her words out there with full force, their bludgeoning strength enough to make Mike's head spin in a circle. The tension threatened to knock him down, "You hurt me, asshole. You need to learn a lesson. Besides, why should I make a promise when _you_ could never keep one to me? But... if you're a good boy and do as you're told... I'm sure things will turn out just fine." _  
_

Mister Winters gave a slow, stiffened nod, and staggered slightly, his emotionally sapped husk of a body threatening to give out on him, "Whatever you want…. You win…."

"Good," she chuckled like a bratty princess, "Because I want you to know something, jackass…. I don't like having my feelings fucked with…."

The line went dead in an instant. Mike stumbled, the only thing holding him up being sinks in the bathroom. His stomach felt as though it was doing acrobatics – while his skull pounded hard, it was as if somebody struck him with a brick. He neared overload, the bright restroom lights, his frayed nerves and his distorted senses all acting in perfect union to throw him over the edge.

Alas, unable to hold back any longer, Mike hung his head into the sink and heaved hard, his stomach answering the calling of his stress, "Urrrrl..."

His eyes glazed over – staring almost lifelessly at the pool of stomach bile and coffee swirling in the bottom of the sink. His head kept on twirling; spinning in a manner similar to that of the contents of his stomach as they went down the drain, "Ohfuckme…." The words spewed out in a single fragment, he doubled over, "I-I ain't... feeling s-so good..."

"Ohhhh yeaaaah!" A cheer rang out from the bathroom stall across the way. Out strolled a tall, burly man with straight orange locks and scraggly facial hair. A lopsided cowboy hat upon his rounded head, he stopped beside Mike, and passed a glance his way. "Hey kid! You're looking rough as shit… and trust me… I should know! I just had a run-in with a curry! Fuuuuck me!"

Just like that, Mike felt his stomach twitch, his whole body heaving once again. The man at his side, badly fitting Levi jeans hanging halfway around his backside, gave the blond singer a reassuring pat on the back, "That's it, buddy! Let it all out!"

* * *

Mister Winters halfway fell into his chair, Tiffany almost jumping out of her seat in terror, "Oh my god! Mike! Honey, what's wrong? Your face… you're washed out, and your eyes, they're so bloodshot..."

The cheerleader placed an arm around her boyfriend, and having nothing left, he slumped into her hold and sighed, "Not feeling well," he grunted in discomfort, "Sorry Tiff, but I think I need to go home…."

Through blurred vision, he saw Audrey's outline, eyes wide in mocking concern as she leaned across the table, "Are you okay over there, Mike? What the hell happened?" This was perfect, did his ex see this as some kind of petty victory in her mind? She seemed to be enjoying this far too much. "Hey Tiff," she continued, her voice kind and considerate in perfect deception, "If he's sick then you should go! I don't mind girl, put your man first!"

"I think I'll do that, thanks, Audrey," Looking to her peroxide-haired companion, Tiffany gave him a gentle pat on the head and smiled softly, a motherly smile, or an expression of a nurse taking care of an ailing patient. "Come on, Mister. Let's head back to my place."

Mikey nodded and shakily stood from his seat, using the table to prop himself upright, "Alright, sweetheart. I'm ready when you are." While Tiffany reached across to pick up her hoodie, the young gentleman curtly glared his daggers in the direction of Audrey, "You be sure to have yourself a good night, you hear? Sorry to walk out when we _just met_ like this… but I'm suddenly feeling like shit."

"No sweat, Mikey. I'm sure I'll see you again sometime, won't I?" Miss Belrose gave a sinister and pointed swiftly toward her phone on the table, gleefully smirking as picked it up and held it in her hand, "Look after yourself... and be good to Tiffany."

This was insanity – no, it was worse. Mike could only think of a threatre performance he saw when he was little. The performer stood on stage, switching between an array white opera masks with different facial expressions, switching the tone of his voice and the lyrics of the song to match the emotion portrayed. This was the same – Audrey saw switching back and forth and damn was it jarring.

Tiffany stopped just short of the doorway and looked back to her red-haired friend with a warm, innocent smile curving her pinkish lips, "Was nice to see you, Audrey! I hope you're ready for class on Tuesday, and don't forget your English Language paper! Miss Yumi's gonna go nuts if you do."

"Chill, girl, chill…. I'll get it done," the party girl chimed back, eyes piercing like knives into Mike's turned back, "Get better soon…."

Winters shuddered in disdain, pulling open the door with one of his jittering hands, "Later…."

* * *

Tiffany plonked her bottom on the living room couch, having wrung out a damp cloth in her hands. Smiling again like a mother bear caring for her cub, she placed the rag upon Mike's forehead, "There you go, Bacon! This should help make you feel a little better."

She leaned in, taking a careful look at Mike's spectre-like paleness, "What came over you? You seemed fine this morning when we ate breakfast… and wow did you snore like a bear last night in bed….."

"Stress," Mike sighed, sitting upright the slightest bit to give a thankful glance to his lady, "Sometimes I've been known to have a bit of a meltdown when it comes to stressful shit. What can I say? It's been quite an eventful last couple of weeks, and I think in the end it got a little too much."

"Well," Tiffany placed a gentle kiss upon his cheek. More than anything she wanted to comfort him – to let him know that she was there no matter what the case, "Don't let stuff swim around in your head. Trust me," the blonde frowned, her eyes distant in thought for the moment, "You only live once, Mikey. Don't let things take control of you…."

"You're a little fountain of wisdom, you know that?" Mike's smile, however weak it was, served as just the pick me up she needed to stop her from thinking about her own life in relation to her advice, "Just when I think I'm down on my luck you swing by and I feel back on top again."

Tiff's heart fluttered as she took Mike into her into his arms, the feeling of his warmth being all she could possibly want right about now, "Thanks, handsome... You know... I'm really glad we met that day on the football field. I still remember it like it was yesterday."

Indeed, she'd seen him at in the stands watching the cheer squad every morning for days straight. He came to watch their routine repeatedly; his despondent eyes seemed so sad and lonely too. In the end he never told her what was bothering him those two long months ago, but with each passing time they sat together as Tiffany oversaw the morning practice, she felt her heart-warming to the man more and more. In the end, she couldn't deny the growing feelings at her core.

"I remember it too," Tiffany shivered as Mike whispered his words, buttery smooth into her ear, "You helped me put so much crap I was going through into perspective. Just having you beside me, laughing, smiling, you talking about your classes and me about my band… it was enough…. You made me see that there was no need for me to feel so unhappy when I had a friend beside me. I guess I should say it, but you came wandering into my life just at the right time."

"Sweetie," Tiffany felt her heart fluttering with happiness, afloat with loving compassion, "That's the nicest thing a guy's said to me in years. You're nothing like those jerks on the football team, or those gross, dirty frat boys. You're a real keeper!"

"Thanks," she watched him crack a fragile smile, as he slumped his head tiredly against her shoulder, seemingly lost in the moment. Regardless, she couldn't shake the thought of something. He seemed so nervous. "I'm glad you have faith in me. It means an awful lot, that you trust me I mean."

"Well of course I do, silly!" Tiffany squeezed him tightly and let out a chuckle, pushing the thought from her mind, "The last couple of months have been really special. You're the first guy I've… well… the first guy I've felt close to like this."

The cheerleader leaned back just a little, looking Mike deep in the eyes – swirling blue met with glowing green, and so their lips met in a gentle kiss, "Hmmm," Tiff eased into it, being extra careful to drink up every moment of their embrace. The way his lips tasted was something of an enjoyable mystery, sometimes coffee, sometimes liquor; this time around, minty toothpaste was the luck of the roulette.

"So," she carried on after inching away for a moment, "What did you think of Audrey?" Cautious was the tone the blonde felt it best to begin with, "Call it a hunch, but I got the feeling you like her… strange really," Tiff paused with a thoughtful glance, "Most people seem to rub her the wrong way, but you… I didn't get that impression."

"She's erm," Mike gave a nervous; tense chuckle – running a hand through his hair for a moment. His lips, though a little rigid in their articulacy at first, curved into a smirk, "She's interesting…. I'm not sure if I can find any other words…."

"Just give her a little time, be nice," Tiffany backed up for a moment, eyes downcast as she thought back to her first meeting with the redhead, "She's a little rough around the edges, angry even, but I think underneath all that she has a lot to give to the world. Yeah, she's troubled… but Audrey's a good girl, _my girl_."

Mike's nod seemed unnatural – his expression a little dark and cloudy, "She means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

"She does," hand on heart, Tiffany gave a compassionate little nod; "We bumped into each other in senior year highschool. At first, I thought she was… well… that she was mean, but one night right before prom she opened up to me about a lot of stuff. Her life growing up was… difficult. I guess I'm telling you this because I really want the both of you to get along."

"I'll give her a shot, you have my word," Mike patted Tiff her on the head, ruffling those golden strands just the slightest bit.

"That's great," Miss Maye chimed back, sitting herself comfortably on Mike's lap, reaching out for the television remote, and twiddling her toes happily as she hopped through the channels "You will come to my cheer rally next week, won't you?" she asked expectantly, looking back to her man after settling on a television drama, "Audrey will be there too. Maybe the two of you could sit together. That's a great plan! You could totally cheer us on!"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Mike's tone dropped a little, "I'll be there…."

Tiff looked onward, concern creasing her expression with a soft frown. Just what in the heck was wrong with Mikey today? Wriggling softly upon his lap, she settled into a comfortable position and lovingly draped her arms around his broad shoulders, "Thank you, it means a lot to me."

* * *

Mike stared up at the guestroom ceiling – an exhausted sigh slipped free from his lips as his fingers pressed away at the screen of his phone, "She's not gonna stop until she drives me into the ground, is she?"

A lone message sat inside his mailbox – a text from an all too familiar phone number. His heart thumped hard in his chest, the fear of what might await felt all too real, "For fuck sakes… here we go…."

A press of a button later and the young musician found himself staring into what might as well have been the abyss. Thank goodness Tiffany was in her own room right now, busy writing up some chemistry notes for a class tomorrow. Growling under his breath, Mikey started to scan the text with a discontent scowl twisting his features.

_'Hey there. Today was pretty fucking awesome, wasn't it? Well, at least I know why you ditched me the other night. You're a real bastard, you know that? Anyway! Enough with that shit! Remember what we talked about earlier, Mikey? We're gonna meet at the Hot Springs tomorrow at nine, and don't you dare be late! I think after all the crap you've put me through lately I deserve a little payback. Nobody messes with me and gets away with it, especially not you…. Now relax... lighten up a little... I'm sure it'll be fun. Yep, we're gonna get craaaazy! My game… my rules, and I'm not finished with you until I say so. See you tomorrow...'  
_

"For the love of," His expression contorted, Mike flipped over his phone, pried off the back with his fingers, violently yanked out the battery and placed it on the table at his bedside. Just the sight of the message, the thought of having to deal with somebody else today, it made him feel sick all over again.

"I'm going to sleep," eyes closed, he turned on his side and let out a miserable groan, "Do I deserve this? Am I reaping the reward for playing games with karma or something?"

**To be continued….**


	4. Blondie - Part IV

"I don't see why I should sit here and take this kinda crap… and from Audrey of all people." Mike threw on his jacket with a frown. He was at the end of his patience after all that had transpired since yesterday. Just who in the world did Miss Belrose think she was?

"Gonna go there dude," Kyu fluttered in from the bedroom and sank to the couch with snacks. It looked like she was more interested in her chips than the moral dilemma. "I called her 'Mega Bitch' for a reason." Another mouthful later and she looked back with a weak smile, "This is a tough one. If you do as she says you're gonna get trapped in the spider's web. If you don't… then she might just tell Blondie what's been going on."

Indeed, the singer felt his options becoming thinner with every passing moment, "The girl has some nerve," he growled, plopping down beside Kyu for a handful of morsels, "I was so patient with her… bought her dinner, I paid for her drinks when we went clubbing… I bent over backwards to make her happy…."

"Mike," the fairy reached out with a considerate hand, her bright magenta eyes glowing with warmth, "You shouldn't feel guilty over all this. For real… she was the one who stopped calling you."

"But I do," he sighed, taking Kyu's hand as he looked over to the television. The shopping channel, a less than perfect distraction from his problems. "Maybe I should've made more effort with her? Is she trying to get back at me because she was testing me or something? Did I let her down?"

"Women like Audrey are attention seekers, bro," the fairy linked her fingers with her client and flashed him a look of assurance; "I've seen their type dozens of times before doing this job. They crave the contact, but the second you stop playing the game by their rules they freak the fuck out."

"Being a bitch over it is one thing," Mikey released his grip on Kyu and slowly pulled himself from the couch, slotting a couple of the buttons of his denim before making his way toward the door, "Going down the route of blackmail is another thing entirely. Still… I've gotta give credit where credit's due… I didn't think that Audrey had it in her…. Turns out I misjudged, huh?"

"Where are you going?" Kyu asked in concern as she zipped from her seat to join Mikey partway from the door, "Right now I'd say you have two choices, homie!"

With a waggle of two fingers the fairy guardian continued in a little stream of confetti, "You can either bow down to Red and see what the fuck happens… or you could come clean with Blondie… tell her you were dating her friend before you two became an item… and hope she understands."

Winters sighed and slipped on his shoes. Man, this was getting to be more exhausting by the second. Right now, he needed to be away from the heat of the oven, as far away from this chaos as humanly possible. More than that, he needed a place to cool his heels. No music and no alcohol. He needed peace and quiet – a place where he could collect his thoughts.

"I'm heading to the mall…. Hopefully by the time I get there it'll be around seven. Kyanna usually has her last customer of the day by six… so here's hoping I can catch her before she leaves."

"Now I see," Miss Sugardust smirked, giving a playful waggle of her digit. With music and fanfare she switched into a skimpy little bra and panties. For some bizarre reason she was wearing a sombrero too. "You want to get naughty with Miss Latina, eh? Oh senor Mikey…. You're such a horndog!"

"Nothing like that." Was it wrong to shiver at such a painful attempt at humor right now? The young man certainly didn't think so, "Going to the salon… might help me get things together. If I sit around this place all day," he uttered with an accusing point at the surroundings in question, "I'll keep on thinking about this until my brain goes into meltdown. I don't need that, not now…."

Kyu stopped, "Fine, if that's how you feel." Her voice felt as though it was a little more withdrawn compared to a moment ago.

Turning back, releasing his hand from the door handle, Mike slouched in the archway and gave a shake of his head.

"It's true... Kyanna and I haven't been on the best terms for a while now," he admitted with a pang of sadness in his usually smooth inflection, "But I need to get out of my usual setting so I can make sense of all this shit. Yeah... she's been a little cold toward me... and it's-"

"Cold?" The winged lady cut in, silencing Mike as she came his way with a glassy expression, "Cold is something of an understatement, buddy, but if you'd rather brave one hornet's nest instead of another then be my guest."

A pair of cold shoulders from his candyfloss fairy left the gent feeling more confused than ever. He raised his brow in question. "Now you're grumpy with me too? Is it wrong of me to feel a little conflicted over this whole series of events? I have a lot on the line here… and nobody seems to care about how I feel, not in the slightest."

With a frustrated snarl, Mike gripped the door handle, "I'm heading out. Call me if there's anything you need."

"Don't just walk out," With a snap of the fingers Kyu switched her outfit back and hovered beside the singer, placing a gentle hand upon his shoulder, "Look… I didn't mean to bite at you like that… I guess what I'm trying to say is-" Just like that she froze up.

Winters was left stuck in a strange place of unease. The tension in the room was unreal, "Kyanna was so hung up on me making changes," he responded sadly - his eyes fixated upon the shiny flooring.

"But at the same time I'd like to think our old friendship still means something to her…. I've known her the longest out of everyone… my first friend outside of my bandmates since I moved here after college. I don't get why she's being like this, or why she has such beef with you…. All you did was help me when I needed it the most. If it weren't for you I'd b-"

"Ohhhh Mikey," Kyu chuckled, but it seemed strangely tense, fitting to the mood at the very least, "Even with all of my hard work you still have a shit ton of things to learn about the lovely ladies in this town." She released her hand, giving him a light nudge toward the doorway, "There are some things I can't teach you, but trust me on one thing, okay?"

Just what did she want to say? Mike turned back in pondering and awaited a response, "What is it?" he asked quietly, not wanting to make the vibes any worse.

Kyu closed her eyes – nodding firmly to herself about something, "All the changes you made to your life… the road you've walked with my help so far… it's all been for the sake of your future. You've changed for the better Mike Winters… you're not the same down on his luck guy I plucked from the bar all those months ago… you're so much more…."

He watched as one of the winged beauty's dainty hands crept upward and came to rest upon her chest, "You're too good for these ditzy human girls…"

"What did you just say? I missed that." Whatever she said in the last moment was too faint, a whisper beyond a whisper. Even somebody with superb hearing would've had a hard time.

"Nothing," the magical girl came back swiftly, shaking her head from side to side. She smiled again – it was forced, he could tell by the stiffness of it, "You go ahead…. If you think talking to Kyanna's the right thing to do then go ahead and pay the girl a visit."

Yet at the same time, maybe it wasn't a good idea to push things any further. A nod was the best response right now. Indeed, it was the path of least resistance.

' _I should leave Kyu alone for a while. That, and if I don't head out soon I'll miss the salon before they start to close up for the day.'_

With that in mind, it was time to go. Mikey turned his back – a twitch of discomfort swimming within as he grabbed the door again, "I shouldn't be back too late. I'll bring home something from the store. How about pasta sides?"

"That'll do fine. I could totally get behind some pasta tonight."

Yes, Kyu's tone was deflated all right. Without so much as another word, a quick exit was made, if not for the sake of his own sanity, for keeping the fragile peace within their shared abode.

"That did not end well…."

* * *

The mall was still lively at this time in the evening. Just because the hair salon was close to shutting for the night, it didn't mean that some of the clothing boutiques or the novelty shops with longer opening times weren't still drawing in customers. If anything, Mike appreciated the volume right now. The constant stream of voices back and forth from shoppers was serving as the perfect distraction to drown his thoughts.

With every passing footstep, Kyanna's place of work was getting closer and closer – its presence made all the more imposing by the giant pair of neon red scissors flashing above the storefront. It was hard to miss even as a passer-by, but Mike had been her plenty of times, more than enough to make it there with his eyes closed.

In the final moments, he felt a sense of dread climbing higher and higher – it was making him feel exceedingly sick. One step, two, three, and four. Almost there. Just like that, he went solid as an ice sculpture and took pause to steady his breathing.

"Maybe I shouldn't do this today? After all… Kyanna covers the afternoon shift by herself…"

Lately it had been easier to go for his usual styling session on a day when there other girls were working in the shop too. That way, Kyanna by default was a lot more cheerful – no doubt, because she had to be with people watching her, but it worked. Going alone would take such a safety net away, an idea that left a very uneasy feeling crawling in Mike's gut as the inevitable moment grew nearer.

' _No…. What am I thinking? We've been friends for a long time. She's the girl I've been able to hang around with whatever the weather. I can't just turn away like this because we've grown distant. Sure, she hasn't agreed with some of my more recent life choices, but it's as Kyu said… I've changed for the better. I couldn't have stayed the same hapless loser I used to be… I never would've achieved anything living like that.'_

The little glass door to the salon stared him in the face – it was far too late to turn back now. Alas, Mikey breathed deep, ran a hand through his peroxide hair, and strolled inside.

* * *

It was empty of customers at a glance – good. A lack of people would make it easier to talk in person. The scent of conditioners and hairsprays was a little overpowering, but it perhaps served to sober the senses for what was to come. Those same red chairs lined the sides of the establishment, tucked away behind the mirrors, and as usual, the floor was immaculately free of hair. Yep, it was definitely _her_ on shift this afternoon.

Footsteps from the alcove leading into the back room, "Hey! Welcome to Snip's Hair Salon! I might have just enough to squeeze you in for a trim if that's what-"

Kyanna – the cheerful chime of her voice was almost alien as Mike made eye contact with her. He watched as she backed up a step or two. Unsurprisingly, her smile was gone in an instant, "Hey," she came quietly with her brown eyes shakily staying connected with his own green ones, "It's been a while…. You're looking… well dressed as always."

Damn this was difficult. Mike gave a simple nod as his feet went forward. "I know It's a little late for highlights," a weak attempt at conversation at the very best, "But that's not what I came for…. Can we talk please?"

Hesitation in her aura. Miss Delrio reached for one of the wheeled chairs and slumped down, leaning her well-endowed chest over the back for support, "You wanna talk to me? First time you've bothered in weeks. This makes for a welcome change…."

If body language could kill right now would have been one of those moments. Mike leaned up beside the counter and stood with his arms folded. Defensive, man, this was something he never expected he'd do a girl he was once so close to, "I know the last time we spoke things didn't exactly go well… but I need your advice… I've always felt as though I could rely on you when the going got tough."

"Dude," the lovely Hispanic lady sighed, "You don't need me anymore… just look at you." Her sight narrowed on Mike's form, the site of it being enough to make her lips drop sadly, "Shiny shoes, expensive clothes, half the girls screaming for you whenever you show up at the club…. Seems like you've done pretty good for yourself without my help."

Hearing those words felt the same as a knife lunging into his chest. Regardless, he pushed onward with a couple of steps, "Don't say that. When I first turned up in town, you were there for me. I've never forgotten about all you've done for me. All those times we hung out together when little Philly was in day-care… The time you got up on stage during my band's show..."

Kyanna got up from her seat and came closer. For a moment Mike was almost certain he saw a smile upon her lips, "So you didn't forget? For the longest time I thought you wanted to leave the past behind."

"Of course I didn't! We had a riot together…." Indeed – this sweet Latina had been something of a treasure – a truest friend in times since passed.

Mike felt his heart tighten in his chest when Kyanna reached out, now just inches away, and placed her hands upon his shoulders. Her gaze was unyielding, everything of her being pooling straight into his soul, or so it felt.

"Then you can't deny how much things have changed since your 'girlfriend' turned up," and just like that, Mike felt everything at his core tremble. In a mere moment, his 'dearest friend' had built him up and torn him down.

"You might not see it, but I do…. You forget about my sharp sense of women's intuition. Ever since the day _she_ came into your life, her peachy little ass wiggling along, wavy brown hair, throwing her money around… you've become a guy so different it feels like I barely know you anymore."

Kyu – there was nobody else to match such a description - even in human form the impression she left behind seemed to be a lasting one. That, and she had indeed walked into Mister Winter's life and gone about reconstructing the person used to be.

True – in his own mind, the blond didn't feel any different aside from being a little more confident and in control, but to others it must have seemed a very different transition.

"She isn't my girlfriend, damn. How many times do I need to tell you? Kyu and I? We're friends… and that's all there is to it."

"No," Kyanna spat back with poison, her hold on Mike's shoulders loosening just the slightest bit, "You might not be dating her… but you sure seem head over heels for my babysitter. Yeah… I saw yours and Tiffany's pictures all over her college blog. You know what hurts the most? You rejected me... you told me you loved me... and now you're dating someone else you have the balls to come in here asking for my help..."

"For the love of-," Mike groaned, "We're going _there_ again? Everytime you dig up the past it only makes it harder for us both to bury shit and move forward. All I wanted to do was come over for a little guidance and here we are… arguing…."

"Are you _surprised_ I go back there? Whenever I see you it's like you're a walking reminder." A single full-blown stare from the Mexican girl against the light was all Mike could absorb in one sitting. He froze, transfixed, "You so far detached… you've lost touch with the guy you used to be… and did you ever stop to think for a moment-"

A tear – a lone shining escapee from the pools that were the curvy angel's eyes, "Did you ever stop to think how much it hurt me? I've had to sit back and watch you… my bestie… slipping away from me… and if I'm honest… it doesn't feel like you give a crap."

"It isn't as simple as you make it out to be." There were most assuredly reasons for the differing path Mike took since his arrival, but trying to explain them without the use of words like 'magic' or 'fairy' would be near impossible.

"My life was going nowhere," was the excuse he finally settled upon, "The band wasn't making any money, and I couldn't settle on a direction to take things. I was hopeless – and I lacked drive… had no confidence…. Everything was a mess… such a damn mess… and it showed too. We've been over this before."

"You were sweet, naive and optimistic," Kyanna fired back with a shaking voice and a bittersweet smile. "I liked all of those things about you…. You know... there's a part of me that honestly thought you might wake up and smell the coffee. Yet here you are... still carrying yourself like a smug playboy. How are you any different from the night we parted ways on the beach?"

The beach – a picturesque memory almost entirely faded in film grain with the passage of days, weeks and months. Mere words alone were enough to unlock it, free the shackles and awaken a time were things held a very different tone. Mike felt flooded, overwhelmed by the flashback of a night sky dotted with stars, and a girl, this very girl in fact, as she held him close and talked about life.

"I'm far better than that now. If anything I feel like a stronger person." His words bore no doubt. How long had it been since that night? Almost half a year? He'd come so far since then, slowly, painfully, and one step at a time. "You're not getting it… I don't think you understand just how many doors have opened for me since then…."

"Enough to leave me behind, clearly." Yet despite her words, Kyanna still hadn't let go. In fact, much to Mike's surprise she was hugging closer, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, "All the times I kissed you... by the beach... when I saw you sing in the club... and all the others... They made my heart skip beats. I sure as hell wouldn't kiss you right now…."

Empowered – and despite his best attempt at restraint, Mike couldn't help himself. A chuckle slipped out from his lips, "You say you wouldn't kiss me, but you're still holding on… You haven't let me go... and you're still wearing those heart-shaped earrings I bought you."

"Yeah," Kyanna sighed, "...They mean a lot to me... _kinda like the person that gave them to me_."

Now or never - Mike had to take a chance, to see if the tiniest spark was still alive inside. "...Deep down I really miss you too, Kyanna."

"Not a chance." Kyanna was quick to respond, and just as swiftly as he'd attempted his smooth line - Mike found himself staggering away after a sharp push, " _No way am I falling for your smooth-talk twice... Last time you built up my hopes and knocked them down."_

His friend, or former best friend, right now he couldn't make sense of it, stood well back with a frown upon her face and a pair of tightly folded arms. "See?" she emphasized with a frustrated gasp, "You can't resist the urge to charm the girls. Well... I'm not letting you hurt me twice."

"But that wasn't my intention."

"It totally was." Kyanna's raised voice held enough power to silence him outright. "Please… leave me alone, okay? Whatever it is you need to figure out… you can do it on your own. Everytime I get involved with you I end up hurting..."

"But Kyanna, I ne-"

A raised hand to silence him, "You were strong enough to 'move forward' without me," and a motherly tone to quash the risk of any backtalk. "Since you're such a lady-killer I'm sure you'll have no problem finding your way out of whatever it is you've gotten yourself into. Now, if you don't mind… get out."

Mike turned around – terror striking his heart under the sternness of a mother's almighty glare. Who would've thought that a pair of eyes so soft and welcoming could turn so frightful in a second flat?

"I get the message loud and clear. I'm outta here… but thanks anyway, for at least giving me five minutes of your time." With little reason to stay now, the vocalist reached for the handle and pulled open the door.

"Before you go."

The dark haired lady's voice stopped him from leaving outright. However, he didn't turn around, "What's up?"

Kyanna paused for a moment, letting a sigh escape her lips. "…I miss all the time we spent together, too. Who knows? Maybe there was a part of me… a stupid voice in my head… that always wondered if things could've turned out differently that night. Doesn't matter now, does it? Kyu did a really good job fixing what was 'broken' in you…."

Mike felt his threshold fast approaching as Miss Sugardust was dragged into it, "I'll see you around. Maybe…." Indeed - he wouldn't let anyone talk trash about his fairy.

Out of the door and out of sight as fast as possible – content to drown in the flurry of voices. No matter how many people were around, the silence inside his mind was almost deafening.

* * *

"Just great," Mike snarled, falling into step with the flow of pedestrian traffic. Being lost in a sea of bodies was exactly what he needed right now. Anything to pull his mind away from the task at hand.

"Audrey…. I'm supposed to meet with her in a couple of hours."

After how badly things had just gone, there was no way he'd have the patience to meet up with someone else, the Redhead of all people. That much was a given, "Forget about it. I'm in deep water either way…"

The whole thing was painful. Kyanna was mad at him, Kyu didn't seem too happy, and there was also Audrey out on a vengeful warpath. The only person left who could give him a reason to smile right now was none the wiser, "Tifanny…. Fuck…. What am I going to do?"

"It isn't going to be as simple as telling her the truth and hoping she gives me a chance… not now. For the love of God, this is nauseating…. I've done nothing wrong here… and I'm the one being made to feel like the bad guy…."

Either way it seemed like the outcome would be a negative one. With that much in mind his plan of action for the evening was set in stone, ironclad, "I'm not going to roll over and kiss Audrey's feet because she's threatening me. I'm going home… and I'm gonna play my violin, because whatever I choose to do here-"

"There's a storm heading in my direction….."

**To be continued….**


	5. Blondie - Part V

It was the day of Tiffany's cheer rally and the football game. Supporters of the university team packed the stands. However - through the chanting and cheering there was very little to hold Mike's interest in the match. After all – he was here as a showing of support for his girlfriend. By no means was he – a musician by trade, interested in the majority of sports. Well, he liked boxing, but not much else aside from that. Regardless – he sat in his seat, dressed sharp, surrounded by a mob of hooting male football followers while taking small sips from the straw of his soda cup.

"So… you care to tell me why you didn't turn up the other day, hmm? I sat waiting for two damn hours in my best swimsuit… and you never showed…. Don't fuck with me – I'm warning you, Winters…."

The game wasn't the worst part of this either – not by a long shot. The frilly rouge drama queen at his side was the bigger obstacle.

"I don't see how this is fair, Audrey." Mike narrowed his eyes – his signature cool burning out in host to a sea of embers, "I'm not your property… you can't treat me like you own me, and it sounds a little like you're blaming me for your mistakes."

A cold chuckle from the redhead – it sent chills down the base of his spine. Her hands slid down from their place in her lap to roam the inside of her little purse.

It felt as though the game was stuck on pause as the blonde vocalist nervously waited.

Finally – with great glee and an evil smile, Audrey produced her little phone. Dinted and battered around the edges, the silver paint chipping off to reveal the greyed plastic underneath, she flipped up the screen, "….You're mine…Mikey," she winked between the pressing of keypad buttons.

"All it takes is one phone call… a couple of words... and a carefully placed 'I'm so sorry Tiffy… I didn't know' from me…." Audrey flipped the cellular device around to show the screen, "And my friendship is safe…. But your relationship with her? Dead… deader than fucking disco."

The blood in Mike's veins ran cold – his fists clenched into balls of rage. However – surrounded by a crowd of people, each one of them potential witnesses to his unbridled fury, he had little choice but to crush his emotions in the pit of his stomach. It left a sour taste in his mouth – something far worse than the half-flat soda.

"Watch it, Romeo," the slender girl cooed bitterly, "If you keep squeezing that cup you'll squash it…."

From zero to fifty in a second flat – Mike snarled under his breath, "What makes you think she'll believe a word you say, dammit? You don't have any evidence… nothing to hold against me. You go telling Tiffany we dated-"

Mike smirked with smugness – his emerald eyes honed on point with the intensity of daggers, "….And she'll be just as mad at you as she will with me…. We'll both go down together….."

"Oh fuck off," Audrey snorted, punching a couple of keys on her phone before showing it again, "Who said I was talking about me, asshole?"

"HOW IN THE-" Winters paused in mid eruption – his voice carried enough weight to draw attention of students sat to the other side of him. Miss Belrose seemed to love his reaction too, the sinister smile upon her ruby lips widening in elation.

A picture upon the flickering LED screen of Audrey's phone. True – it was far from perfect in quality, but it spoke volumes. Mike held another girl in his arms with a solemn expression upon his face – a well-endowed Hispanic woman to be precise. The hair salon – crap. This didn't look good.

"You were at the mall when I went to see Kyanna? How did you manage to snap that picture?"

"Funny story actually," Audrey giggled as she slid her phone – the dreaded object of blackmail, within the safe confines of her purse and out of reach, "I owed the grimy bitch a little money for my last bleaching session… so I was about to go pay up… and shocker! I see you're in there with her… and let's face it, Mike…. She wasn't in a hurry to take her dirty paws off you, now was she? Funny as shit… I didn't think fat baby mammas were your type."

"You're one twisted skank – you know tha-"

"Humph," the lady of red interrupted, "Pick your words really careful from here on out. One wrong move and my fingers might just hit the 'send' button. I'd hate to see Tiffany's response… she'll be heartbroken… and how I'd love to see that nasty hoe Kyanna Delrio put in her place too…."

Checkmate, indeed – the metaphorical king had nowhere on the board to run. Mike could see it playing out within the darkest confines of his thoughts. Tiffany would receive the message – and Audrey would swoop in with a handful of crocodile tears before consoling her best friend. She'd walk away from this a free woman – while both Mike's innocence and his good name around town would be dragged through the mud.

Defeated for a second time – Winters hung his head in a bitter attempt to hide his rising fire. His senses numbed to the outside world – demons raged within his thoughts again as he pondered the few bleak options he had. Subconsciously, his fists pulled so tight that his hands shook.

"I hope you're happy here Audrey. Whatever the fuck you're trying to achieve… you're doing a really good job," came one final strained bark before the singer brought his eyes – darkest green and unforgiving, back toward the game.

That was when he felt it – her cold slender hand taking up residence upon his right shoulder, "I tell you what, Mike," Belrose whispered with bittersweet flare into his ear, "You do me a little favour… and the pic on my cell vanishes… I think that's a fair enough trade, don't you?"

He growled in response – his back tensing at the very touch, "What do you want from me?"

"I think you know what," Audrey spoke softly as she stood from her seat, hands sliding downward to adjust the frills of her expensive dress, "Meet me out by the bathrooms near the parking lot – ten minutes… and don't keep me waiting…. We need to talk…."

"That's rich," Mike whispered with the scowl across his lips twisting in darkest murder, "You blackmail me… threaten me… and now you wanna talk? Kyu was right after all… you are a Mega Bitch."

An abrupt stomp of Audrey's heeled boot snapped the musician from his aloud thoughts, "Careful there," she warned with a sadistic wink before turning away, "I can still hear you, Mikey…."

"Bitch," and at this point he truly didn't care.

* * *

It was desolate out in the parking lot with most of the students watching the game. That was good – it meant less chance of being spotted in this risky position. After all, who in their right mind loitered around near a bathroom during a football match and had honest intentions?

"She calls me out here and now _she's_ the one who's late," Mike tapped the toe of his shined shoe impatiently with a glance toward the face of his silver watch, "Fucking figures…"

The low thumping of heels against the concrete was cause enough to make Mike's back raise in alarm, "Shit…"

"Needed to take a piss," Yet Audrey's voice and the familiar feeling of her slender fingers upon his shoulders served to lower his guard a little bit.

Still – this whole thing felt weird, he dared go as far to think disorienting. For a girl who was supposedly angry, she certainly had a strange habit of putting her hands all over him.

"So… what do you want, Audrey?" Winters was abrupt with his question. After all – the game would be finished soon. If anybody from the football team or the any of the cheerleaders saw them alone like this, there would no doubt be whispers around campus.

Mike felt his body spun around by the redhead's grip on his shoulders - and there she stood firm, her unusual yet strangely ensnaring ruby eyes fixed in a stare.

"Okay," began the bratty party girl with an uncouth snort, "I'm gonna need something before I can make your dirty little secret disappear…."

Hands on hips, she continued, "First off… I found this awesome as fuck dress in the mall… and like… I've seen how much money you and your cronies take home from playing at Lusties."

"You want a donation," Mike sighed and pulled a brown leather wallet from his jeans, "Name it… and please… don't be too much of an ass here… I still need to pay my landlady."

"Two-hundred," and an impatient tap of the foot while she was at it, "That's a good boy, and I'll cover the rest… grandpa said he'd send me an allowance this month."

An allowance at twenty years old? Words like those brought thoughts slamming hard into the musician's head. Just how spoiled was Audrey Belrose? Did she come from a rich family? Most of all – what made her feel so damned entitled as to throw other people's money around so casually?

A low snarl, Mike couldn't conceal it as he handed over a fistful of bills and clenched the girl's hand shut around them, "Fine… you've kinda got me at an impasse here… not like I have a choice or anything…."

With a pained heart, the peroxide-blond watched as his hard-earned money vanished in a crumpled mess within one of Audrey's dress pickets. Well – there wouldn't be a chance to go to the bar for a couple of weeks, that was for sure.

"I hope there's nothing else?" Mikey felt his blood burning in light of all this crap. Here he was – held to ransom in a manner of speaking. The irony, it hurt.

"There is one last thing." The tone on the porcelain girl's voice felt alarming. She edged forward with an increasingly unnerving smirk upon her lips of deepest red gloss, "No need to worry… this one won't cost you a penny…."

Audrey's hands slinked across his shoulders once again. In truth – it felt as though this was fast becoming a theme, "….The look in your eyes," Mikey frowned even deeper, "I don't like it…."

She was close now, closer than ever – so damn close in fact that her lips lightly brushed against the side of his ear, "….Let's get freaky….. C'mon Mikey…. Fuck me… and we can forget this whole thing ever happened… the picture on my phone… what I said back in Nutmeg… all of it….."

"You want me to-" Winters froze as solid as an ice statue as his mind ran a mile a minute, "….You're asking me to have sex with you," he chocked his words in bewilderment, "….You're insane…. What makes you think I will? I couldn't betray-"

"Tiffany?" The redhead purred as her hand slinked downward to rest upon Mike's belt, "A little late for that, don't you think? You ditched me for her… and I bet she doesn't know about your past with Kyanna, does she? Sorry to say this… hot stuff…."

Mike's hand – under the guidance of Audrey, was brought to rest upon the undergarments beneath the tassels and frills of her expensive clothing, "….But I'm not letting you go unless I get what I want…"

* * *

With a shove from his womanly tormentor, the gentleman found his feet reeling in reverse as his back now rested upon the dirtied wall of the women's bathroom. Held in place, he grimaced as Audrey kicked an 'out of service' cone just outside the doorway and slammed the lone grubby exit shut behind. It all happened too quickly to resist, and now here he was, pinned up with a hungry temptress clawing at his best shirt.

"Alright…" Audrey's purring voice returned as she popped the top buttons of Mike's garment, her nails sinking into his smooth chest with reckless abandon, "Let's do this… I want to feel you… your hands on my body… like the times we used to 'chill' at your place..."

Something felt wrong here – Mikey's heart fluttered with a turbulent mix between masculine lust and great unease. The look in Audrey's eyes, it was burning so red hot that it made him feel honest remorse. She seemed driven, obsessed, but what was the cause of this sudden and extreme hunger? He didn't know, and neither did he care to know.

A brief shove of his hand sent the lustful vixen back a few paces, "I'm not doing this, not a chance. My answer is no, Audrey…." He stuck to it, too – going so far as to bat her away on a second attempt as he hastily buttoned his shirt.

"Who do you think you are?" Audrey's shrill shriek in combination with the trembling fingers across her dress was a powerful sight indeed, "You're fucking turning me down…. YOU… a washed up little singer in a band nobody outside this piece of shit town cares about… is rejecting _me_?"

She didn't back down either – a thump of her fist against a bathroom stall with the petulance of a spoiled valley girl, and she just kept on going, "I'm the best you're gonna get, Mike Winters…. I'm Audrey Belrose for fuck sakes! I'm beautiful… I'm sexy! I could click my fingers and have any guy I want…. More than that I'm- I'm…"

"You're not a common slut," Mike chose seriousness over tact in this situation, "So don't act like one…. I always had the impression you were so classy, and this? This obsession, the jealousy…. It's not like you… so I'm done here…."

"I'll send it," a threat from the redhead as she regained her bearings in a mad dash toward her carelessly discarded purse, "I swear… I'll fucking send it and you'll be so-"

"I'll be what?" The emerald eyed singer reached out and grabbed Audrey – his anger finally coming to the surface in a scolding heat, "You'll text Tiffany, hmm?"

"Owww!" A yelp ripped free from the girl as she struggled in discomfort under the strength of Mike's one-handed grip, "You're fucking hurting me! Get your nasty-ass hand off… you're squashing my wrist."

Still holding the rouge hellion firmly in his grasp, Mike leaned across, stuck his free hand into Audrey's purse and plucked out her little phone, "You wanna burn me, because you're _envious…._ You're _Jealous_ because you fucked up and lost what you had…."

With a flick of his fingers, the young man brought up the screen of the cellular device, "Well if you want to ruin me so badly… so be it… ruin me." A couple of presses of the keypad brought up the picture of him and Kyanna – the cursor hovered over the 'send' icon, "But you'll be the one living with the guilt… not me… because I know in my heart I'm an innocent man."

Relinquishing his hold, Mike lightly pushed Audrey back and tossed the phone into her shaking hands, "Your call… I'm outta here."

"I'll do it," Miss Belrose rasped in a wobbly voice, "Walk out of the door and I'll send your perfect little world crashing down, and…. AND YOU'LL BE JUST LIKE ME! You won't have a single fucking person in this fucked up little world who loves you!"

"Then go ahead," Mike eyed her hard with his green orbs and folded his arms, "Wound me… wound Kyanna… hurt Tiffany… see if I care."

"I've still got a mob of fans and a recording contract on the horizon… what does one little cheerleader matter to me? If I make it big, I'll be free to do whatever I want… and you? You'll still be bumming around this shithole in twenty years… drinking your daiquiris' and munching your pot brownies until you get big and fat… and nobody will give a damn..."

"I FUCKING HATE YOU!"

***Whack… Slap…. CRACK***

Mike felt his back smack against the wall as Audrey struck him hard like a red missile. With tearful eyes and chocking sobs she slapped and clawed at him repeatedly, "You're a dick… you're a total fucking bastard! I want you to suffer!"

"That's it," Winters braced between strikes and focused even stronger with his gaze, "Hit me… hurt me! This is what you wanted, right? If this is what you want... then for the love of God… do it!"

One final strike to the face and the blond man's entire world twirled in circles. Regardless, through the discomfort, he could still hear Audrey's tears, and this time louder than ever.

"I hate you," she whined with her trembling hands now rested upon his broad, scratched shoulders, "You were supposed to chase me when I ran…. WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME? I gave you every fucking thing I had… and you ditched me like I was some two-bit street fuck…."

Finally, Mike relaxed and welcomed the crying girl into his arms, a sorrowful and pitying look deep in his eyes, "You didn't exactly take a moment to consider how I felt either…. After all… I gave a lot too… really put my heart into it, gave you _something_ I'd never given another girl… and you just stopped calling. That hurt me more than anything in my recent life. Now? I've moved forward… I've moved on… and I'm sorry Audrey… but it's over between us..."

Slowly and carefully he peeled the ruby lady from his chest and made his way for the door, "Who knows? Maybe in a different place or a different time we could've been something more… but not like this…."

His hand upon the handle now, Mikey looked back with a sad smile, "I really did love you, Audrey Belrose… but seeing the truth of your heart… seeing you like this… it scares me."

"Don't go," she looked up with sore, swollen eyes and shakily tottered forward on her heeled boots, "Please don't leave me…. I'm scared to be all alone again…."

Yet her pleading wasn't enough to stop him despite the sinking feeling in his chest, "I'm sorry," Mike repeated one final time as he opened and walked through the door, "More sorry than you could ever imagine… but my heart belongs to Tiffany…."

"Lucky bitch," Audrey sniffled as Mike returned to the light of the outdoors, "Little Miss Perfect wins again… she always wins…."

Shutting the door on the sad little girl behind him, Mike steeled his shaken emotions and walked away, "This was never a game, Audrey… just like our relationship… but you never saw that until it was far too late."

There was nothing more to be said – nothing more to be done. His connection to the girl with the fancy dresses, porcelain skin and the wayward heart was cut. The only thing to do now was move forward and change things for the better. After all - he still had Tiffany, and that was more than enough. The band was on the way up as well. At this point, despite all he had suffered, Mikey still had reason to hold a fragile smile upon his face. _What else could possibly go wrong?_

* * *

With the game at a close, Mike sat in the stands with Tiffany, her pigtailed hair let loose to cascade down her back and her freshly showered body squeezed nice and snug in a pair of shorts, a vest, and low top red sneakers.

She smiled as bright as the evening sunset – although Mike struggled to return the exact same gusto. "What's wrong? The cheerleader asked softly as she placed a gentle hand around his middle, "Hey… cheer up, will you? Come on… smile Bacon!"

The sound of sweetness in Tiffany's gentle soft voice was more than enough to bring a smile to the Mike's lips. There was something about her gentle nature and her caring mannerisms. Indeed, her homely 'girl next door' kind of charm did wonders for making him smile.

"I'm smiling, see?" A slight curve of his lips at best, but it was a start, "Having you around is more than enough to make me feel happy Tiff… I couldn't ask for much more than that."

_I couldn't tell her the truth about Audrey. I'd move the whole world – do anything if I had to… just to see her smile. Nobody is going to come between us if I have anything to say about it.'_

"So," Tiffany chimed back in, "How about we go for a bite to eat before I head back to my dorm? There's," the pigtailed lady paused sheepishly, "…There's a couple of things I want to talk to you about…"

"Sounds kinda serious," Mike smiled nervously – he'd had more than enough chaos to last him for the rest of the year, "But whatever it is… I'm here for you… I'll always be here if you need me to be."

"Well," Tiffany twiddled her thumbs, batting her eyelids with a distant expression talking hold, "My mother… she asked if she could meet you… and if I'm being honest," she blushed shyly and reached out to grab Mike's hand, "I've been putting it off for a while…."

"Your mom?" Indeed – Mike could only wonder what manner of wonderful woman brought a girl as soft and mild-mannered as Tiffany Maye into the world.

His thoughts drifted to visions of a shy and delicate older woman with a good heart – the kind of mother that baked fresh treats and was naive and delicate toward the darker side of the world. Just the thought of meeting the elder Maye gave him a slight smile.

"Of course," Mike nodded with his trademark smooth smile, his grip upon Tiffany's warm hand getting that slightest bit tighter, "I'd be more than happy to meet her."

"That's,"Tiffany paused for a moment – her fingers squeezing tightly around Mike's. Was she frowning?

"…That's good," the girl of deep blue eyes finally finished, "I'll call and let her know… maybe sh- maybe she's free from _work_ in the next few days."

"What does your mother do, Tiffany?" Was she corporate, or perhaps a creative soul? In truth – given his own lack of direct mother figure Mike couldn't help but wonder.

"She's a…. My mom's an actress."

"An actress?" She was indeed a creative kind of woman. "That's awesome."

"Y- Yeah…." However, something about Tiffany's lacklustre response felt horribly amiss, "So… how about we go grab that food before it gets too late… I'm starving after all my cheering."

"Of course," Mike stood and draped Tiffany's squad jacket around her shoulders to keep her warm from the quickly cooling air, "Let's go."

Audrey was dealt with and soon Mister Winters would meet the mother of his girlfriend. It finally seemed as though – despite the recent disarray, that things were looking up. Things couldn't possibly go downward from here - right?

**To be continued….**


	6. Blondie - Part VI

This week had been full of surprises. Tiffany had placed the meeting with her mother on abrupt hold. Yet that wasn't the most confusing thing. As Mike prepared his attire for the evening ahead, he couldn't help but ponder everything in a little more detail.

Kyu was out – and it made him feel a little less at ease, overall. With eyes fixated upon the bedroom mirror, he finished the buttons on his shirt and flopped against the foot of the bed – a rogue sigh escaping from his lips.

"What's been going through your head lately, Tiff? At first I thought you were so quiet because of your mother – but now I'm not so sure."

Miss Maye's mother – she was most definitely a touchy subject. The vocalist had pieced that much together in their time as a couple. Yet, this kind of mood, moreover, this kind of distant behaviour from the cheerleader, it seemed all the more unusual.

"She asked me to meet her at the Bar and Lounge tonight… and she even went out of her way to make a reservation in the VIP section. This isn't like you, Tiffany. When we first met you were the upbeat one… I mean, damn…. When I was the one feeling miserable… you comforted me."

So, what was the cause here? A million thoughts ran through Mike's head as he gazed upon the smooth paintwork of his bedroom ceiling. Too much simply didn't make sense here.

"Audrey? Is she causing trouble for me again? Is she the one behind all this?"

Flashbacks filled his mind, photographs of the week prior. Their meeting at the football game was certainly a chaotic one – and the overall outcome was even more intense. It was the first time he'd seen Miss Belrose break down in front of him – and would more than likely be the last, too.

"Something tells me… deep down in my heart – it isn't her this time." Regardless of how easy it would be to pin the blame on Audrey, if he did so, it would be an act of ignoring the bigger picture here. Audrey was done – he saw it in her eyes in the final moments before turning his back and walking away.

Indeed, behind those orbs of red there was nothing but the broken shell of a lonely young woman. Her fight with Mister Winters was well and truly over. It didn't seem as though she had an ounce of fire left.

Sitting up again, Mikey cast his sight toward the glass of the mirror and pondered further. "Then if it isn't Audrey, who in the world could it be? There's nobody else who could possibly upset Tiffany, is there?"

Damn this was frustrating – and right now Mike was working against the clock to get ready in time. "It's almost eight, and Tiffany has our table reserved for nine. I need to stop worrying about this and focus on getting ready."

The styling ritual began anew – though it was difficult to stop his concerned thoughts from arriving at the forefront. He reached back to his bedside filled with cosmetics, grabbing the nice body spray in the silvery can. "Here's hoping I can get to the bottom of this whole thing, and tonight at that."

A cool wave of liquid invigoration against the bare skin of his chest served to dull his nervousness – if only for a brief second. Next was the hair gel. A squirt of it in the palm and he rubbed his hands together vigorously, carefully applying it to his peroxide strands with precision.

"There we go… gelled nice and flat – perfect for a date."

Lastly came the shoes – polished black would do nicely for this smart yet casual occasion. Turning back, Mikey stepped around his bedside to find his assortment of footwear.

"Sneakers… nightclub shoes… concert shoes… there we are! Date shoes!"

Flat and nicely clean – not as pristine as his dress shoes, but then again, it wasn't like he was attending a classical music performance tonight. Slipping them on his feet, he nodded in approval and stood to admire in the mirror.

"Alright… that's everything. Looks like I'm good to go. Oh, wait! Before I forget!"

His wallet – there was no use leaving for town without it. His eyes scanned back and forth across the slightly messy expanse of his abode. It took many a moment, examining the bed, both his bedside draws and even going as far as looking in the closet.

"There… right in front of me as always," Winters finally found the familiar item of fine leather. It sat atop the shiny black speakers of his bedroom stereo system. A quick opening revealed all of the essentials. "Cards… check. Money for drinks? Yep… I think I've got enough. Okay! Now I'm good to go."

Next stop – the door. It wasn't the gentlemanly thing to do, keeping a girl waiting.

However – as Mikey made his way through the dirty living room, courtesy of Kyu no doubt, he couldn't help but feel a deep-rooted pang of concern rising up in his chest. "Tiffany…. I really hope there's nothing too serious bothering you."

* * *

The Bar and Lounge – it was uncharacteristically quiet for this time of night. Then again, such a thing was no doubt be connected to it being a Thursday. Most of the students were still busy with essays – while a lot of the older crowd usually received their paycheques on a Friday.

Mike sat in his comfy leather seat – eyes of nervous green creeping somewhere between the balcony view, and Miss Maye. She'd chosen to seat herself opposite.

Dressed in her usual weekday school attire of pristine white shirt, miniskirt, leggings and shoes, she stared down at the remnants of the Lemon Drop in her glass, sighing quietly. It was easy to pick up on right away, Winters had known her long enough, after all. Her usually cheerful persona felt shockingly flat.

"Tiff… c'mon… talk to me. What is it?" The peroxide-blond reached out with a soft hand and gripped one of hers – yet she didn't return the gentle squeeze of affection he gave. "If there's anything bothering you then I've got your back. Is somebody giving you a hard time on campus?"

A shake of the head from the cheerleader, "Nope."

On to the next point of call – Audrey, "Have you been arguing with one of your friends? Is that why you look so gloomy?"

Yet another denial, "That isn't it, either."

"Look," Now her tone of voice was getting serious, all of the sudden. The transition felt more than a little unnerving. "Mike," she began quietly, "You're going to think I'm crazy for asking you this… but a part of me really needs to know."

An air of tension picked up at the table – fast. Mikey could feel it, a warmth rising from beneath his collar. Dammit – was he in trouble for something?

"Anything, Tiffany." The singer did his utmost to keep cool, though beneath the surface he felt cracks beginning to form.

"Alright," a deep breath, and a flick of the pigtails before Tiff brought out a dinky little smartphone from her shirt pocket. "This has been going around in my head for a while, Mike. Call me a Nervous Nancy, but I want you to be honest with me about something…. Because right now… I'm confused..."

Miss Maye poked at the screen of her phone a couple of times before sliding it across the table. "I decided to look at one of my friend's walls on social media. Her name's Kyanna – I've been her babysitter for her for a long time now..."

Winters' eyes widened at the contents of the screen. There he sat, on a bench at the Farmers Market with an all too familiar face. Miss Delrio – his former friend from a time long since passed, had her arms most affectionately squeezed around his middle – with her head of luxurious dark hair rested upon his shoulder.

"So... I want you to tell me..." Tiffany bowed her head softly.

"Were you to an item? Before we met, I mean. Because you both seem very close in the pictures I've seen... and Kyanna's never mentioned you before, not in all the time I've known her."

Alas, his attempts to stop Audrey in the days prior had all been for naught. True, he'd managed to prevent her from sending the more recent picture, but a single click and a little scrolling down Kyanna's profile page had revealed enough to speak volumes that words could not.

Mikey felt his body heat surging – this time unbuttoning his shirt not out of some smooth compulsion, but in a desperate attempt to cool the warmth under his skin. "Tiffy," he began at a whisper, trying to squeeze her hand assuredly, "Look at the date of that picture… it's over a year old, a little while after I first arrived in Glenberry."

Regardless of his words however, Tiffany continued to eye him cautiously as he continued, "I mean… let's be serious for a minute. Look at the way I'm dressed there – and my hair! I still have my natural blond without the dye, for goodness sakes."

"You're not answering my question" Tiffany paused, releasing her hold on Mike's hand and abruptly pulling it away. "Were you both together? Were you a _couple_?"

Mike sighed and shook his head - an attempt at best to bottle the welling emotion he felt, "I don't see why it matters so much to you," he paused for a moment to sip from his glass, "Trying to explain Kyanna and me isn't an easy task."

"It's pretty simple, _Michael_ ," there came a growl from the student, "Were you or weren't you? I need to know... because the more I look at her profile, the more I don't know what I should think."

Deft hands swept the phone away in an instant. She seemed to be scrolling with her thumb again – and brought the device to bare a moment later. The way her eyes quivered spoke volumes - like a pool of water swept up in a storm.

This next image struck home far more strongly than the previous one. Mikey felt his heart skip a literal beat. "Tiffany," he whispered under his breath, "You're getting this all wrong."

In this second picture, he lay sprawled across the long sandy beach beside the Marina. Kyanna squeezed him tightly as if he were her own personal teddy bear. There was a look in her eyes, one he'd not seen in such a long time – her powerful brown beams shone with a look of truest adoration as she snuggled against his chest.

That wasn't the only thing making Mike nervous – he'd only just noticed the message underneath, too.

' _First kiss with Mikey tonight… totally saving this picture so I can never forget it. You know, it's kinda funny. Nearly seven months and I finally get this feeling that the silly lummox knows I like him. Took him long enough. Wow, sometimes you find the nicest guys in the most unexpected places.'_

"There's a little something called 'honesty' when you're with someone. I would've told you if I'd been in a heavy relationship before we got together."

Tiffany tore her gaze away – eyes planted firmly upon her lap. Was she crying?

"It really hurt me… finding out about this through pictures instead of you. So, stop dodging my question. Were you dating Kyanna Delrio before you met me?"

Winters tensed – his heart punching back in his chest. A stiff arm reaching outward, he grabbed for his glass of liquor again, "I don't have a clue _what_ we were exactly. All I can tell you is we were _very_ close..."

"Oh my goodness... you're annoying me, Mike Winters," Before he knew it, the musician was faced with tear-dampened blue stare, "Four months together... I invite you to my house. I brag about you to half my squad. and you can't even give me an honest answer."

"Tiff, please." The voice caught in his throat – stuck solid by the nerves, "I can't gi-"

"Did you sleep together?" An abrupt question - one he was far from ready for.

"No... we didn't..."

"Are you lying to me?" The inquisition kept on going, "Because let me tell you something. I know one of the world's worst liars, and growing up with _her?_ There's a lot of doubt in your eyes... and it's scaring me."

"Nothing like that happened between us," a spark – an ember, it surged most powerfully within Mike's core, "That's my final answer."

"Fine... if you don't want to say anything then... fine" she sighed, holding her head in her hands for a moment, "But you mean a lot to me, Mike Enough for me to want to share things I've barely told _anyone_ before. But... now I'm having second thoughts. I have my reasons for needing to know that I can trust people... and you've gone and given me some really bad vibes tonight."

"So," The cheerleader stood from her seat - she seemed far off in the distance, ".I need some time... to think about things... _about us_."

Oh no – this didn't sound good, not one bit. Mikey didn't know where to put himself. After all he'd done to protect their relationship from the outside threat that was Audrey Belrose, _Tiffany_ was the one who needed time?

"That's it then? Hmph. After all we've been through. After all the shit I've done to make you happy... you're gonna cast your suspicions and ditch me cuz you didn't something you saw?"

His words seemed to have an impact - Tiffany's hands shuddered as they found the way across the edge of the table, "I didn't say I was breaking up with you..."

"I can't help feeling this way," she continued, plucking a tissue from her skirt pocket to dry the tears, "….I've seen so many people, nice people, taken advantage of in my life… guys, and girls, twisted around someone's finger _._ I don't want to be one of them. I don't want to lose somebody I care about like that. I've seen it happen… how someone can be manipulated by a promise. sleazy leopard print, and some fake tan."

Mike reached for the jacket be,hind his chair – eyes clenched shut as he breathed a deep sigh – he needed to do something to purge the frustration. "Take all the time you need…. I'm heading out for a while... Seems like no matter what I do... I can't fucking win."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The truth remained masked with a shake of the head – a disheartened sigh slipping out before he turned his back, "Not a damn thing..."

His ears picked up the sound of tapping shoes as Tiffany give chase, but didn't turn to face her – he couldn't, not now.

"Listen to me," the blonde girl pleaded - her arms stretched wide across the doorway to bar his retreat. "I won't go demanding honesty from you without giving a little in return. How I feel about everything has a lot to do with my mothe-"

"I don't want to hear it, Tiffany." The singer gently placed his hands upon the girl's shoulders and slid her aside, "You're not the only one that needs to clear their head..."

"Please… don't go…."

Yet Mike had not the desire to heed her words. He kept on walking – shirt unbuttoned to the nines, and brushed past a couple of patrons to make his way inside. There was no sense in sticking around, not with the way he felt about all of this right now.

"I put myself through Hell for you, and this is the thanks I get? Maybe Kyu was right after all…."

* * *

Dawnwood Park – it'd been a long time since Mike last came out here. Ironically, it was in the centre of town, and yet he'd only stroll through between his activities with the band. The darkness of evening held the scenery in a very different light – with the lush green grass obscured by a veil – and the beautiful flowers asleep with their petals closed.

Sources of illumination were slim – a couple of wayward lanterns in lonely suspension and a row of dim LED's projecting from the water fountain at the centre of the whole arrangement. By day this entire spot held host to the student populace, families, and many energetic joggers breezing by.

Tonight? Aside from the occasional couple sauntering through – and a lonesome figure walking his dog, there was nobody to be seen.

"This place is so relaxing... shame everything else tonight is such a freaking mess."

Leaning into the red-painted wooden bench upon which he sat, he looked to the stars in the sky, his thoughts driven onward by the soothing sound of 'sploshing' water from the fountain.

"How can you be like this around me, Tiffany? For fuck sakes. I fought off your best friend to keep our relationship alive, and now I find myself here, underlined with suspicion because some old pictures pissed you off..."

The musician opened his palm out – and closed it again, repeating the cycle several times over, "I'd understand if you caught me balls deep inside Audrey in a public bathroom,  but everything with Kyanna happened when I first came to Glenberry..."

"I guess it's true what they say about everybody having a darker side. You can't always hide it..."

Winters knew all too well his darkest side:

" _My ego_.  Ever since I found the confidence to take what I want in life… it's felt like an uphill battle to stop my desires overtaking me. For so long I was a deatbeat, but then Kyu came along and gave me the power to change... When that first happened I was swept up in a storm, and I took Kyanna along with me..."

"Strange when I think about it," the peroxide-blond stood – his eyes of brightest green looking toward the moon for counsel in his time of confusion, "Maybe in a different time or place I could've ended up with Audrey… or maybe even Kyu, but I didn't… and now I'm left wondering…."

' _What's shakin' bacon? You and me… we should totally go out on a date sometime! Call me when you're free.'_

Blonde pigtails, pristine skirts and perfectly tied shoelaces – Tiffany Maye was the greatest example of the 'perfect girl from down the lane' the kind most men would give an eye to be with.

"Have you been faking your happy personality been all this time? Do you smile all the time because you're so insecure?"

"Screw it," Mike exhaled his inner fire – looking down to his hands with a tired groan, "I don't have a clue…. As much as want t-"

' _Give me the power… I'll take what I want! With my hands I'll reach out… and grab this life for myself!'_

A vibration from within his pocket, and a familiar song he'd performed many times on stage, "My phone? Don't tell me it's Tiffany calling me…."

Reaching down, he slid the Huniebee out of his pocket, eyes scanning the caller I.D, "Markus? What are you doing calling me so late? I thought you were out of town for a while."

Well – there was no use keeping him waiting. Mike pressed the 'accept' icon on the magical screen, sliding the phone between his ear and shoulder for support as he began walking, "What's going on, Mark? I didn't think I'd hear from you until everything in Eaglewood was d-"

"Winters," his friend began in his eloquent way of speech, "I have some most interesting news for you. Take a moment to hear me out – because I'm sure you will like what I have to say."

Interesting news? Hopefully that didn't mean more negative shit on the discussion board. After tonight, Mike didn't have the energy. Regardless, he took the phone into his hand after turning the corner, leaving Dawnwood behind. "Alright! I'm out right now… but give me the lowdown. I wasn't expecting you to call so late."

"Well," Kane continued most abruptly, "I was contacted about an hour prior by a record label, but they weren't asking for us as a band… they were asking for you. Apparently it was a Mister 'Ronald Sweet' from Dream Records."

"Dream Records…." The words stuck fast in Mike's throat – the gravity of the entire situation making his heart heavy. "They signed my mother, back in the early nineties. Last I heard they'd started gathering musicians for one-time tours and upcoming exposure."

"Yes," Mark continued – something was wrong in his tone, he seemed all the more hesitant. "This gentleman mentioned your mother when he contacted me… and went on to express his interest in acquiring you for a violin performance about three weeks from now."

'Surprise' was a word of great understatement. Mike stopped, freezing to the spot like a statue. "Me? Why in the world is he interested in me?"

"He was adamant," Mark paused – followed by a sound that strongly resembled the drag of a cigarette, "…in having you as part of the line-up. He talked about the son of Miss Winters making a spectacular addition to the performance. He wants you as the closing act… but there is a catch…. You'll be touring around the county at five different venues… starting in Westvale, and finishing at the Glenberry Stadium."

"Westvale? That's about a three-hour drive from here – further than Oakridge for goodness sakes. Talk about inconsiderate… almost no forewarning on their part, to boot."

"You know what this business is like," continued his manager with a faint chuckle, "He asked me to get an answer from you by Friday, and considering that's tomorrow, It's all on you. Third Betrayal doesn't have any shows booked past these next two weeks… so you're free. However-"

This wasn't the best time to land such a commitment – not with everything in the air with Tiffany. Yet it made him think – perhaps a little time away to get things into perspective was a good thing? to say he was upset after tonight was putting it lightly.

In the end, it only took a moment to reach a decisive decision, "Let him know I'm in. I'll leave the whole 'pay' situation to you as always, Mark, and thanks… for letting me know. It's been a while since my violin's been out of her box."

Another small laugh from Mister Kane, "You're quite welcome - brother. Now… go ahead and make Miss Angela proud. How long has it been since you played?"

Mother – despite all of his willpower, it still caused a pang in his heart to think about her, "Too long, and don't worry... I'll try my best."

A faint click – and the line went dead, leaving Mike to put his Huniebee away. "Ironic," he uttered between ducking around a couple of passers-by, his eyes firmly upon the street ahead. "I always tell myself that I won't let my mother's past define me… yet no matter how many times I try… I can't resist the pull… the urge to play my violin… _her_ violin… whenever there's a bump in the road."

* * *

"I need something to calm me down before heading home."

Mike told himself that two hours prior – long after slipping into a roadside drinking pit for a few watered down shots of malt. He sat most disheartened atop a little wooden stood - arms slumped across the grimy bar. Many an empty glass lay sprawled before him.

"Same again," and with the flash of his credit card, there wasn't much of an incentive to stop drinking, either. Thoughts of his mother and thoughts of Tiffany – until tonight the two had sat almost hand in hand. One was a much-loved angel he'd never had the good fortune to meet, and the other, a happy go lucky cheer captain with a heart of gold. Both held so much in common, or so he'd thought, at least.

Another half-full glass of watery bronze liquid slid in front of him. Eyes long since lost in questioning, he subconsciously scooped up the beverage container and downed the entire serving in one, "What made her act li-"

"Hey handsome," came a smooth, sultry voice in tow with the clacking of heels against the grubby stone floor. "Mind if I sit here? I can't stand seeing you hidden away in the corner. You look so lonely..."

Before Mike mustered the enthusiasm to reply he heard a stool squeaking up beside him – it seemed like this person, whoever they were, was going to sit with him anyway, like it or not.

Only when he looked up from his alcohol-induced blur did the singer catch sight of the face matching the voice. Leopard print consumed his vision, along with bronzed skin and a shade of hair matching his own in hue. Unable to help himself, Mike felt his eyes trailing downward to a pair of sensually long legs – and back upwards to an amazingly rounded behind, squeezed into a pair of denim shorts.

"Aww, baby," came the voice of beauty again, "I know you like what you see… _but my eyes are up here_. Why not take a look?"

As if guided by magic, Winters crawled upward, taking in every inch, every single speck of the womanly physique until his sights made contact with the wonderful color of blue. There, before him, sat a goddess by all accounts, a picture of female perfection so stunningly beautiful that his tired brain almost melted on the spot.

"So tell me," she smiled alluringly, inching forward to coil a playful arm around his middle, "What's your name, sweetie, and why in the world are you sat here looking so down when _I've_ just walked in?"

"It's Mike," he said softly between snapping his fingers at the bartender, "…and you could say I'm in a strange place right now…. I kinda realized that for a while I've… well… I've been looking at things in the wrong way with my girlfriend… We ended up having a fight and-"

"Forget it… I don't wanna bother you with my problems." he shook his head, another drink sliding his way – its deliverer coming in to take another swipe of his card. "I'll finish this one and get out of your hair... I've got a lot to think about."

"No need to run out on me," the lady chuckled – inching forward to link her arm with his, "And for your information... my name's Jessica,  but _you_ can call me Jessie. I'll happily keep you company if you get me a glass of something _rough_..."

It was strange – but for a reason Mike couldn't explain, something vaguely familiar radiated from this girl. Had he met her somewhere before, perhaps? Why in the world did it feel like he'd done exactly that?

No – it was hopeless. Shaking the thought from his head, he clicked his fingers for the bartender a second time, "Same again, please." Perhaps a little company would be nice after all that had happened tonight.

"There's a good boy," Jessie smiled warmly; "You know… it's kind of funny. I have a daughter about your age, and no matter how much I ask, she won't let me meet the guy she's dating. I haven't even seen a picture..."

"I couldn't imagine why," he replied, handing Jessie her booze with a little more vigour, "You seem nice enough to me."

"Well thank you… and the same to you too, Mikey." The lady sipped her golden liquid, leaning all the closer to rest against his shoulder, "Now how about you open up to mama bear? Tell me what's getting you down. An attractive thing like you shouldn't look so fed up with life."

"Well," Winters sighed – leaning his weight against the bar for support, "I don't think my girlfriend trusts me…. I mean, I did everything I could to keep what we have alive, but for some reason she's started showing a side to me I've never seen before. I don't know if she's jealous... or paranoid... or both... This is fucking with me like crazy, because I've never seen her act like this before."

"Honey, listen," Jessie tightened her grip a little – her playful expression becoming stronger, "If a girl's jealous it means she really cares about you… take it from me. A long time ago when I was in highschool… I had this thing with a guy in my class, a real sweetheart. I'd fight with any girl that looked his way…. It didn't matter what happened, because I was young, in love. Then there's trust, and that's another _nasty_ monster entirely..."

Strange – for the slightest moment Jessie's expression seemed cloudy – and so very faded. Again with this feeling of familiarity. Where had he seen Jessie before?

"But take it from me, Mike.  Both of them... they're a two-way street. Sometimes we end up somewhere that it isn't healthy, and I learned that the hard way. But… at the end of that long and _crazy_ road, it's your decision. Stick with her, or move on… but be sure you do the right thing for you."

"You're fresh out of college I bet," and just like that the older lady's lovely smile was back in full force, "And maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing if you went out there and had some fun. Consequences can be so boring…. You only live once, baby."

Words held the power to sway the heart in an instant – what Mike felt at that very moment was proof enough. There was an aura of some kind coming from this gorgeous cougar, one he couldn't quite place, but it made him feel invigorated. "Thanks, Jessie. You might have a point... No... you _do_ have a good point..."

Perhaps his choice to forge ahead with music was the right one after all. "I'm really glad I bumped into y-"

Lips – pressed against his cheek and stroked his skin most warmly. When Jessie edged back Mike found himself lost for words. "The pleasure was all mine… and who knows?"

With that, she stole her arm back and reached into her purse, pulling out a little scrap of paper.

Before he could realize it, Mikey held a phone number in his palm. "If you're ever _dying_ for my company again… don't be afraid to call. I'd be more than happy to spend my evenings with you, precious."

"I might just take you up on the offer." Hopping up from his chair, Winters looked over to the doorway. "I need to head home… got things to plan for. Take care of yourself."

"Muah!" Jessie blew a kiss, slipping one of her lovely legs across the stool, "If you get in touch... I'll come running, promise…."

Sidestepping a few patrons, Mike made his way out into the street. His path was set, "Jessie? I'll be sure to remember the name."

He'd go ahead with his plan – just as he'd said before. As much as he cared for Tiffany, tonight's experience had left a nasty taste in his mouth.

"'Perfection' it's a pretty shallow word when you think about it…. If anything, I should've learned that already through Audrey. Yeah, a part of me is starting to think Kyu was right, too. She was trying to warn me…."

' _You're too good for these ditzy human girls….'_

Fluttering wings – magical pink hair and the power to sway hearts with a sparkly wave of the hand. One thing stood true amidst all of the uncertainty.

"You've never once tried to screw me over, have you?"

How bitterly amusing – that his trust had been placed with the highest rate of success, in a girl that wasn't even from the same world. So sour a realization in fact, that it made one question jump to the forefront of his mind.

"If Tiffany doesn't trust me… can we really go on like this?"

**To be continued….**


	7. Blondie - Part VII

Regrets – to say Mike didn't have them at this point was an outright lie. Inside there was a bitterness he struggled to contain beneath that suave smile of his. After all, he'd given everything he could, only to be met in return by mistrust at the hands of somebody who supposedly cared about him. Now – he knew his best choice was to regroup and get some proper advice.

"Kyu… have I been wasting my time with her? I mean… I put everything on the line and it doesn't feel like Tiffany has a single shred of faith in me."

A stiff whiskey – the refreshing twinge of bronzed liquid slithered down his throat as his alluring leer of green fixated upon her. "I'm serious. Stop twiddling your thumbs and listen to me."

Yet the fairy didn't seem to respond much beyond a disinterested yawn. She drew her every movement out to a painstaking level, finally drifting up from the couch with a stiff flicker of those bug-like wings of hers. "That's what ya get, dude. You wouldn't listen to me when I warned ya about Blondie before… You even ignored me when I warned you about Kyanna, too."

With a sharp clap of the hands, Kyu pulled a cloud of pink smoke from the nothingness. It wafted across the expanse of the lounge, finally settling after a many a moment. There, in the aftermath, the pink beauty sat, legs crossed in a skimpy outfit of lace and leather.

"This is why you're supposed to listen to me, dumbass," She chuckled with a sinister wink, "I was sent here to help you! Kinda goes with the territory… you know… taking my advice to heart? I mean, fuck knows… I only say half of this shit for your own good."

That expression of hers made Mike feel uneasy. He kept the glass pressed against his lips in quiet thought. Kyu buzzed across the lounge and perched herself upon the kitchen counter, wiggling her peachy little behind and scooping up a shot glass. "It's a little late to start asking for my help now things start going downhill… don't ya think?"

"Easy for you to say," Winters slid the bottle across to for his magical friend. "Up until just the other day I thought I was doing the right thing. Fuck it… even when I try to be a decent guy things start backfiring on me. It's pushing me to the limit."

Kyu slinked the bottle of alcohol between her fingers. For a moment, it looked as though she pondered something.

"You know," she began with a giggle, "I might just have something in mind to give your little relationship problem a push… move things in the right direction."

"Oh? Enlighten me." Mikey ran a hand through his freshly gelled peroxide hair. Right now, any idea was better than no idea at all. "I thought I could see you cooking something up in that crazy little head of yours."

"Haha! You know me well, playa!"

The little ball of winged energy downed her glass of liquid fire – spinning upward in a flare of sparkles. "All I ask is that you put your trust me in, Mikey."

"Let's me put it this way." Kyu let out a playfully sinister giggle from the back of her throat. All the while, her fingers snapped and shimmered with little rays of otherworldly power. "I don't think Little Miss Perfect is takin' your feelings into consideration. So, before you go away for your show I think we should do something to make her see just how important you are."

"You thinking about making her feel jealous?" The thought hadn't occurred to Mike in the past. Up until now, he'd never seen the need – and perhaps that short-sightedness in terms of Tiffany was his biggest failing.

"Nope, a little more than that." With a clap of the palms Kyu switched back into the usual attire of pink fabric and dainty white panties, her wings beating harder with excitement. "If you really are serious about coming out of this one with a halfway happy ending - you've gotta play hardball. Let me explain…."

The fairy hummed to herself for a moment – yanking a chalkboard from the strange hammer space she seemed to possess. Mike focused his eyes hard. Bizarre, scrawled across the face of it was a crudely drawn picture that resembled Tiffany and a bunch of overly complex equations.

"Alrighty!" With a snap of the fingers, Kyu materialized a pointer from pink smoke – jabbing the board with vigor.

"Tiffany Maye – age twenty. Dainty little virgin with a cooch tighter than a bank vault…. She falls into your classic 'B Category' on the love fairy scale. She's gentle, caring, and has the potential to be a great candidate to any guy looking for something long-term. Don't be fooled though, Mikey dude. She has some interesting quirks outside of her template."

"Quirks?" Mike could only wonder what she meant.

"Yep." Kyu tapped the board with her pointer. Just like that, the chalk drawing erased itself and formed into a fresh image. This one depicted a man with blond hair. A squiggly blue aura pooled around him. "Then there's _you…_ and that's where things get super complicated."

Something inside the singer dipped as the tone of Kyu's words sank in. He gave a mocking frown - making his way across to the couch, glass and bottle in hand. "Now you're saying I'm the difficult one? Way to hurt a guy's feelings."

"Let me explain." Kyu fluttered over and perched herself atop the glass of the coffee table. With one slender leg crossed over the other, she continued. "You don't really fall into any category. You're what we in the love business call a 'Wildcard'. In other words... you're somebody with crazy potential… but you're high risk to work with."

"Oh wonderful." That made Mikey feel even better. He eyed the arm of the leather couch, letting out a cynical scoff. "Here I thought Tiffany was the one with the issue."

"Hehe," Kyu chuckled, reaching out with one of her delicate hands to ruffle Mike's hair. "Don't take it as an insult, homie. It's a lot more simple than it sounds. True, you have some mad skills, especially Talent and Charisma… but you also have that big ol' ball of Sensitivity swirling around inside you. Combine those three and the mix becomes pretty interesting... Pushed hard enough, guys like you have the power to become playboys."

This line of conversation gave birth to a tiny flame of discomfort inside the young vocalist. He couldn't stand people trying to analyize the way he worked. He knew why – though he'd never admit it openly, even to somebody as close as Kyu. He'd struggled his whole life when it came to making sense of himself or committing to the bigger choices in life.

' _Ironic. I don't think playboy power is what I need here. Ever since Tiffany and me became an item I've tried my best to be good to her. I couldn't stand having to deal with another repeat of the Audrey situation… but it feels like I can't win even when I have good intentions. Fuck it…. Why can't things go my way for once?'_

A poke from one of Kyu's messily painted toes brought Mike back from his thoughts. Plugged back in finally, he caught the sight of the slender vixen leaning over with a provocative smile. His eyes, despite his best attempts, couldn't do anything but wander toward the pair of small but shapely breasts that almost spilled from her loosely fitting outfit.

"Sorry… I was in a world of my own for a second there!"

"Looks like you're still in a world of your own right now, perv." His fairy gave a snorty giggle and clasped her hands together, head tilted with the gentleness of a puppy. "It's okay though," she winked, "I forgive you. Now… my point to this whole thing. Listen up!"

"A girl like Tiffany is damn entitled when it comes to a being with a guy. Blondie in particular wants a perfect relationship. Prince charming, nice house, no external threats from other women. You know… the shit where you settle down, have kids, and live happily ever after in the end."

All of those things combined were a lot to comprehend. Mike brought a hand up to his chin in pondering as Kyu carried on talking. His viewpoint was much simpler. He was taking things steadily and staying committed. However, settling down, and the idea of the super long term? To say he'd thought that far ahead would've been untrue.

' _Is that really what Tiffany wants? It sounds like she's grooming me to find the perfect 'forever' partner. Not just dating while she goes through college. I suppose this is why I could handle Audrey and Kyanna so much easier. Belrose was too chaotic to think of the long term… and all Kyanna wanted was a stable boyfriend. Hell, she flat out told me she didn't want me to move in together.'_

As much as Mike didn't want to admit it, quiet alarm bells were starting to ring. He'd never looked at the scenario from such a wide point of view until now. "….I should've listened to you sooner, Kyu. You were trying to tell me this from the moment I decided to keep pushing forward with Tiff. Hell… I even cast aside Audrey to get this far… and now I'm feeling a little shitty over it."

Kyu slid her behind off the table – sitting down beside Mike. "Well you're in luck, because this _beautiful_ fairy of yours just so happens to have a trump card waiting in the wings. True, it's pretty risky, buuuut… I figure it should work out pretty smoothly… so long as you don't let your ego fly too far out of control."

Right now Mike was willing to take a gamble. To say he'd been shaken with the latest developments was an understatement. Indeed, if he wanted to salvage something from this situation before it was too far-gone, he'd need to act now. However, he at least wanted to know what Kyu was planning. The bright glow in her magical orange eyes spoke volumes of her mysterious intent.

"Care to tell me what you have planned before you start revving the engine? You have such a strange look on your face… The last time you had an idea it involved me singing improvised song lyrics on stage in front of two-hundred people. No, I didn't forget that, Kyu Sugardust."

"Simple, Mikey!" Kyu placed a hand upon the singer's shoulder – an innocent giggle sliding out. She was trying to be disarming, clearly. "I'm going to do a few little things to put you and Tiffany through the paces. We're going to find out just how strong your bond really is... and who knows?"

The fairy sprang up from her spot on the couch – clapping her hands together. An orb of deep pink magic floated and pulsed within the confines of her palms. "You might end up with a surprise twist by the time everything plays out…"

Risks? Practically the last eighteen months of Mike's life since moving to Glenberry had been nothing but a wild ride of events. If there was one thing the whole spiral of circumstances had taught him, it was that sometimes you had to make difficult decisions to get anywhere in life.

' _I want a relationship. I enjoy the comfort of having someone beside me… it also helps keep me grounded now that I have my music career in full swing. I've had to face hard choices before… Kyanna is proof enough of that… but now that I've got my priorities in line it's time I give my love life a little attention. I'll go along with whatever Kyu has in mind. She has my best interests at heart.'_

A nod of resolve from the vocalist - it was his showing of desire to seal the deal. Eyes bright with surety, he placed a hand upon Kyu's shoulder. "Do it. Whatever you have in mind… I'll roll with it. You said this is a trump card, right? A backup plan?"

"Yep! I like to keep my angles covered. Makes things far more interesting." Kyu squashed the sphere of power into her hands. A wave of bright pink pulsed and swirled across the tips of her fingers. She linked her digits together in a tight clasp – and slowly but surely, a powerful aura glowed from her body. "Okay… time for a little magic. Keep cool and don't distract me."

Mike's body took in the warmth of Kyu's power. He needed to breathe – and be sure he stayed collected as instructed. The sensation was beyond anything he'd experienced before, so warm and heartfelt, a power of love and wonderment in its purest form. His thoughts raced in overdrive. There he wandered, seeing himself in a place most strange – a room filled with doors. It only lasted for a second – vanishing just as quickly as it had arrived. When it wore off he took many a long moment to steady his breathing.

"That was… a little strange. I swear… your fairy powers never cease to amaze."

"There we go. I'm all charged up and ready to rumble.," Kyu explained, exhaling loudly and opening her eyes. Damn she looked tired all of the sudden. "That was fun, but a little trippy, am I right?"

"No shit."

With that, Kyu ascended from her spot on the couch – fluttering across to the kitchen area. "Damn… I'm beat! Gonna crank up your washing machine, jerk one out for a sec. You got any plans tonight?"

He had to think back – so much had happened over the past couple of days that his internal calendar was strongly out of order. "I was thinking of heading for a coffee or two.. After everything that's happened these past couple of days I need a relaxing atmosphere."

"That sounds like a good idea. Seriously, bro… don't overthink things too much." Without so much of a shred of remorse, Kyu mounted the household appliance, cranking it to full before spreading her legs wide. Absolutely no restraint as always, she never changed. "Have fun. I'll kick around here for a while longer… then I'll be heading back home for a little while. Have a good night, and leave everything with Blondie to me."

It certainly didn't seem that way at a glance. Mike laughed, heading in the direction of his room. It was time to change in preparation for leaving. "I'm starting to wonder if that's a good idea... considering you're rubbing one out in my kitchen."

"Trust me, Tiger. What could possibly go wrong?"

* * *

Something felt very off in Nutmeg Café this evening. True, it wasn't far from closing time, but even so, there wasn't a soul inside. The comfortable couches, beanbag chairs and booths sat empty – with not even the sound of a voice or the whirring of an expresso machine from behind the counter.

"Hey," Mike called out in a gentle voice, "Anybody here? I'd like to grab an expresso."

His next course of action was to see if he could find a member of staff. Making his way across the hardwood, Winters came to a stop just short of the glass case filled with pastries. Plenty of them were still there, the light aroma of croissants and Danish filling his nostrils. He leaned across, trying to get a look into the employee lounge in the back. The door was open - but he didn't see anyone at a glance.

For many a minute he waited, but nobody came.

"No… there's not even a single barista, either. Who knows? Maybe because it's the late shift there's only one person on right now? They could be using the bathroom. Yeah… that must be it."

Nodding to himself in clarification, Winters popped the buttons on his shirt, basking in the gentle sensation of the air conditioning against his skin. The best part of Nutmeg? They always kept it cool. It was time to find a seat, at least until somebody with the capacity to take his order turned up.

' _I hope they hurry, though. It's closing time in a little over twenty minutes.'_

A spot in with a view would do nicely. He laid claim to a table beside the window, draping his jacket on the back of his chair as a marker. It wouldn't particularly matter with the scarcity of other people, but it never hurt to be careful.

Sighing, Mike clasped his hands together. His thoughts, grayed in film grain, flickered back to his recent encounter with the mysterious cougar he'd met - Jessie. Something about her resonated strongly for a reason he couldn't explain. "Our conversation from before keeps coming back. I'm still so tempted to follow her advice. It's been so long since I stopped worrying and took it easy. Always worrying about consequences is such a drag."

However, the events of the past still acted as a constant reminder to keep things in check. "Then again… maybe this is Karma's way of paying me back for everything that happened with Kyanna…. It's not like we ever had closure… we just drifted apart… and since then it's been nothing but an awkward mess for us both."

The chiming of the bell above the door – such a loud sound amidst the silence snapped Mike from his innermost with a flinch. He turned back – thankful that he wasn't alone anymore, and that was when the force of a storm swept over him.

A plaid skirt with a neatly buttoned top, and all too familiar pristine white leggings. Mike's eyes panned upward – taking note of long golden pigtails and the ocean blue serenity radiating from two deep orbs of light.

"Tiffany," Mike felt the word catch tight in his throat. She was the last person he was expecting to see tonight. "….Are you doing okay? Didn't think I'd see you for a while, especially with your deadlines right around the corner."

"Hey," Miss Maye shuffled forward on two nervous feet, hands rested in her lap neatly. "I got your message… rushed over here as fast as I could. You said you were in trouble, right? I'd never forgive myself if something happened and I wasn't there to help…."

Mike's eyes widened – he had to rip his glance away in an attempt to hide his surprise.

' _I didn't even send you a message, Tiff. What in the fuck is going on here? First I turn up and the coffee shop looks outright abandoned, and now this? Feels like someone is going out of there way to mess around with me… and right now I don't need it.'_

By now Tiffany was already sat down in the chair oppisate. Her expression bore a seriousness – eyes shining in tow. "What's going on, Mike? If you really are in trouble then I want you to know… I'll do as much as I can to-"

A bright pink flash filled the room. In an instant Mike felt his senses flare in fear. An omen, something most insidious crawled forth from the back of his thoughts. The brief surge of light he'd just seen, with its pattern and almost surreal glint, seemed very familiar.

Another violent pulse of the same hue – this one far more intense than the last. Winters watched in confusion as loud thumps cascaded all around him - the shutters of the establishment rolling down over the doors and windows. Mere seconds later, the locks clicked into place with an audible _CLACK._

Tiffany yelped, sprang up from her seat, and tottered across to Mike – looking into his eyes of green with her rippling pools of blue. "You're seeing this, right? Tell me I'm not the only one who can see this. That pink flash was so bright..."

This whole thing felt awfully suspicious. More than that, it reeked of Kyu's handiwork. Mike's body temperature soared – his breathing becoming tighter and more oppressive. Tiffany's voice was all but a whisper in his chaotic mental landscape. This couldn't be happening.

_'C'mon... really, Kyu? You know my deal about locking doors. If this is your master plan to throw Tiff and me together then it's not funny!'_

"Oh no…. No no no no NO!" Without so much as a thought, the musician took off across the room. Something inside him screamed – a monster of epic proportions. Skidding to a stop just short of the door, he reached out with two clammy hands and yanked at the handle repeatedly.

"….Open! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE JUST-"

It was no use – no matter how hard he tried, the lock was stuck firmly in place. Indeed, by some freak twist of fate, he was trapped. Just like that, the atmosphere in the quaint little venue became far more heavy. Every breath from his lungs filtered out, becoming nothing more than a painful rasp by the time it left his mouth. Sweat pooled around his forehead, hands jittering madly in a sea of blind panic.

"Can't get out… need to find a back door..."

"Mikey?" Tiffany's hand upon his shoulder did very little to distract from the gravity of the situation. He found himself staring at her fearful expression. She'd turned him around and had a grip on his shoulders by this point, but he was so wrought with terror that he hardly noticed. "Listen to me!"

"Mike! Are you- What's wrong? You have to breathe!" The cheerleader's instructions were shaken – the entire assortment of her expression melted into a pool of worry. She clasped her hands upon his cheeks and locked their eyes together. "Look at me… focus on nothing but me. Now… I want you to tell me what the problem is."

"I'm," it took a miracle just to choke out a single world. It was no use – despite his best efforts the vocalist couldn't fight against the sum of his mounting horror. He reached out, snaking his arms around Tiffany's shoulders and squeezing as if his very existence threatened to fizzle out.

"I'm Cleithrophobic.. I can't… can't," Winters choked, his airways slamming shut with unforgiving cruelty, "Tiff... Call someone! Help me!"

"Oh God," Tiffany cried. She slinked her fingers around Mike's waist, moving to hold him supportively. With a light grunt of exertion, the student moved her boyfriend back to the nearest seat – kneeling at his side. "Stay still… I'll grab a paper bag from the counter. You're going pale! You'll faint if we don't get some air inside your lungs."

* * *

How long had it been now – minutes, hours? By now, Tiffany had completely lost track. With Mike calmed at last, she took a moment to think everything over.

_'Cleithrophobia - a fear of being shut inside a room with no way out. I've read about it in books before... but this is my first time seeing it up close. Oh, Mike... Hang in there, okay?'_

The young lady sat on the floor at her boyfriend's side - with arms wrapped around his middle in a gentle, heartfelt cuddle. "You'll be alright," she smiled warmly, leaning up to place a kiss upon his forehead. "I've already buzzed the fire department. They should be on their way soon. Keep your breaths steady, Bacon..."

Miss Maye wanted more than anything to comfort him – especially in his time of need. Not only that, but she felt a little spark of regret over their confrontation in the days prior, especially as she saw him in such a fragile state. Eyes closed, she sighed in reflection.

"I bet I look like such a dick," Mike growled with frustration. "I'm a singer… feels like I rule the world when I'm on stage… and yet every time something like this happens I shake like a leaf. When I was little I got locked in my uncle's music store in Greenville. No matter how many times I called for help, no one came. One of the temp staff finally found me the next morning, but the damage was already done..."

Tiffany listened intently to the vocalist's words. If there was one thing she couldn't figure out - it was that strange pink light. It barely felt real. "I get the feeling someone's playing a prank on us..."

A scowl twisted Mike's lips - it was so bitter that Tiffany felt a shiver down her back. "You might be right. Either way, I feel like such an idiot... Tiffy, I'm so sorry for freaking out like this..."

Tiffany didn't think any less of him for it – not in the slightest. "We all have phobias and fears, Mike. It's part of being human, ya know? I mean, take a look at me." Tiffany opened her eyes of blue. It was time to bare her soul a little more. "I'm afraid of being cheated on… and people breaking my trust…. A lot of that goes back to my home life. Mom? She wasn't exactly a role model. Far from it, actually."

"Tiff…" The sensation of Mike's hand against her shoulder was a comfort. Good, he was listening. "Is that what you were trying to tell me the other night?"

A nod from the cheerleader. "We aren't very close… and I suppose that's why I didn't want you to meet her. She's self-obsessed and she manipulates people. Worst of all is that she thinks it's okay... so long as she throws money at you to make up for it."

"Well," Mike took a hard breath – it looked as though he was fighting hard to keep himself calm. "Soon as we get out of here… would you feel comfortable coming back to my place? I'll make you a drink and we can talk about it. I know it's late… but you can sleep in my room if you want, and I'll take the couch."

Progress – Tiffany had been quietly hoping for months that an opportunity like this to come up. She couldn't hold back Jessica too much longer, so this would likely be the best chance she'd have to open up about her estranged mother-figure in preparation for the dreaded meet.

"I'd like that." The blonde gave a smile to match her warmth inside. "But in return… can I ask you a couple of things, too?"

Mikey gave a short nod of agreement – easing back from their shared embrace. For a second he seemed lost in deep thought, but it didn't take long for him to come back. "You want to know about Kyanna, am I right?"

"Yes…. I Bet you think I'm mean for being so pushy… but ther-"

"No," Winters leaned in to place a soft kiss on the cheerleader's forehead, "I wouldn't say that. You have a right to know. It's just a bit of a difficult topic for me. A lot happened between us and... it's complicated."

' _I care about you, Mike. So long as you're honest with me… even if I don't like what I hear… I'll do my best to stick with you. I mean, you're one of the nicest guys I know…. I just hope that when you find out the truth about Jessica… you'll still want me in your life. You must think I'm so stuck up, but I can't help myself. Her life choices… they make me feel so dirty.'_

**To be continued….**


	8. Blondie - Part VIII

An hour waiting for the fire service to put in the door at Nutmeg didn't do much to help the nerves. The tense shower while Tiffany sat sipping a homemade cocktail in the living room only served to make things worse as well. Yes, by the time, Mike got out of the shower, slipped on a fresh navy shirt and some shorts, the atmosphere was almost suffocating.

The living room held host to the echo the most recent college football game, replayed on the local sports channel. As comforting as it was to stand in the bathroom doorway, hit pause on the proverbial remote, and ensure everything stayed frozen, there was to be no such luxury. His footsteps caught Tiffany's attention in almost no time at all, and before he knew it, sapphires pinned him against the wall.

"So," Tiffany let her hair down in a vibrant golden flood, sauntering over with crimson cheeks and a nervous frown. She stopped short however, deciding instead to wriggle her nicely rounded derriere into one of the dinner table chairs tucked behind the couch.

Oh great – she was waiting for him to come to her. This was the last thing Winters wanted. Talk about having to do the legwork – especially when the following discussion would be hard enough already.

"Sit with me, won't you?" Alas, he was beckoned over with a gentle pat of the wooden seat closest to the cheerleader. By now, her expression had eased just the slightest bit, midway to a smile, but it still didn't bring too much comfort. "I promise… I won't bite."

Something about those eyes, their cooling crystalline serenity, a blue that sparkled amidst the low lounge lights, disarmed everything. Resistance was futile.

Finally set down, Mikey reached over to take Tiffany's hand – and much to his surprise she gave an assuring squeeze with her fingers, sunshine finally locked in place, warming the surroundings. "Alright," the musician began stiffly, "Should I go first, or you? I'm guessing we both have plenty to say."

"Me first." Miss Maye took a breath to steady herself, "I think I owe you an explanation… Because I've been real mean to you recently. I don't like it when my insecurities to shine through… but sometimes I can't help it."

She looked to her half-empty glass, taking a dainty, well-mannered sip of the little magenta straw. Sated, or at least calm enough to continue, Mike linked their fingers together in a showing of support.

"I haven't… had an easy home life. Being honest with you… I haven't seen eye to eye with my mom in a long time now. I know it's not nice to judge people's life choices too much… but she feels like the exception to the rule."

Breathing hard, taking in a little more air, Tiffany froze like a winter ice sculpture, hands jittering in their shared embrace with her musician boyfriend. Fear, it was painted clear as daylight across her features. More than that, her eyes, those pools of endless aquamarine, shook as if chaos was on the verge of taking hold.

Seconds fell dead, ticking into long, painful minutes. Finally, Tiffany locked their gazes, nodding in what must've been an attempt to thread everything together. "Mike… give me your thoughts on something. Do you think the family we grow up with can effect the people we become?"

A deep question – one with enough weight to slug the singer square in the chest with a jarring right hook. Flashbacks of the past, VHS tapes showing musical concerts, a green-eyed woman, petite and gorgeous as a goddess, freckled cheeks and the most loving smile. She'd dreamed of performing for the masses, put her fragile health on the line for it, and died doing the thing she loved most.

Angela Scarlett Winters – the mother he'd never known, and the woman who in turn cast a long shadow over his entire life with the legacy she'd left behind. A national treasure in the short time she took the stage - all while her lovechild was endlessly judged on her merits.

"Yes they do…. There's no doubt about it. I wasn't entirely honest with you when I told you about my mother, Tiff. She affects me a lot more than you realize."

"I was afraid you'd say something like that," Tiffany sighed, clamping Mike's hands even tighter. Another deep breath, and with it she swiftly broke free for a fraction - slamming back the rest of her drink. "You know something? You have a lot more in a common with me than I thought. It's scary… nice too… but really scar- Oh, who am I kidding? I can't keep trying to side-track the conversation like this…."

There was something about the change in the cheerleader's tone – it left a chill in the air. "Things aren't good between me and mom. You know… when I was growing up, I loved her so much… but as time went by, I learned some disgusting truths…. They changed things… turned my love into… resentment."

Tears – they welled in her eyes, escaping with reckless abandon and pattering against the varnished wood like lonely raindrops. Just watching the cracks from like this was painful. Mike reached out to place an arm around her middle, bringing her close in a cuddle.

"It's alright," he spoke to her with softness and comfort, "If you don't want to say any more than it's fine. I'm not going to force you… and besides… if you need time we have all night."

"That isn't the problem," the beautiful blonde countered his words with a tiny sob, muffled into the fabric of his shirt. "I'm afraid, Mike… afraid that if I tell you the truth you won't want me in your life anymore. _Everyone_ turns on me when I'm honest about mom…. It's been like that ever since school… hasn't changed, either."

"You're fine," the musician assured her – dabbing the corners of her puffy eyes with his shirt. "My past before I met you was far from perfect. Be honest with me and you have my word. I'll give you the same in return. I don't have a right to judge."

"Okay," Tiff clung on – so tight in fact that Mikey sensed the urgency, the conflict inside her. "Here goes nothing…. My mom… let's just call her Misty… she's an actress, like I said. Not the kind most people think, though. She's… really famous around town… because she does a LOT of adult video."

"You mean she's in por-"

Silence came in the form of a finger over the lips from his girlfriend. It was the first time he'd seen her eyes narrowed, dangerous in their intensity. "Please… let me finish. It's exactly what you're thinking. She's been doing it for a long time… most of my life…. You name it; nothing's too disgusting for her… I learned that for myself when my classmates in high school went past the firewalls and found 'things' online."

"My senior year was horrible because of it. Everyone started assuming… they thought I'd put out because 'I was like mom'. I mean… there was this one time…."

Tiffany shivered, breaking her cuddle with Mike and shuffling into the back of the chair, legs folded toward her chest. "The captain of the football team left a note and a hundred bucks in my locker… said I could keep the cash if I…."

There Miss Maye sat, walled off from any form of comfort in her own lonely corner – eyes streaming in an endless deluge. "You want to know why I'm paranoid when it comes to people? I had to watch Misty bring strange men in and out of the house…. Parties until four in the morning, the furniture always stinking of smoke…. That was my life in my early teens…"

Mike was lost – he had no idea what to say. Would anything be enough to ease such a deep-rooted and emotionally scarring pain?

"What's worse," Tiff didn't seem set to stop, either. It was all spilling out. "She manipulates everyone she touches. It terrifies me that she wants to meet you… because I'm scared she might try sinking her claws into you. Ever since I got a little older, I've never been able to trust her intentions. She has the nerve to say she does it for me… that she'd do anything for me… but it's left me jaded."

Everything was falling into place like missing puzzle pieces. A revelation had arrived. "So that's why you snapped when you saw those pictures of Kyanna. You thought I'd been lying to you… taking advantage. You found it hard to believe in me when you saw something starting you in the face like that."

"That's right Mikey… it reminded me of mom – with all of her hollow promises and secrets. She kept what she did hidden from me for more than half my life… I had to find out the hard way… and people treated me like some nasty floozy because of it."

They really were alike after all – two people in a wide world who struggled to overcome the shadows cast by their parents. Just as Tiffany had said a little earlier, it was both nice and terrifying in equal measure. With that in mind, Mikey couldn't let her suffer like this any longer. He reached out, brushing aside her flimsy attempts at protest, and took the cheerleader into his arms yet again.

"Well I don't see you that way. You're the same Tiff I've always known… the same girl that came to my rescue on the football field that day. If anything, you telling me this only makes me care even more. It's seriously ironic when I think about it."

She wriggled in his embrace, drinking up his warmth with what finally seemed to be a small, fragile smile. "Months worrying about your response and you brush aside like it doesn't even matter to you. Ironic is right, Mister…. I'm so mad at myself I could just... scream!"

"Then do it," answered Mike with a chuckle, resting a hand upon her golden strands of hair, "You're always so sweet, calm and collected… it can't be healthy smiling like that all the time. You don't have to be the 'girl next door' every day."

"You're right," she winked, playfully bopping the side of his face with a balled up first. "I feel like I've earned it after letting everything out. So many ugly tears…. We've like coins, aren't we? Everyone has two sides…."

Balling both of her hands together tight, eyes half focused, half red and sore, Tiffany held her face against Mike's chest and let out a muffled screech into the blue of his shirt. There she stayed for a little longer, finally bursting into a disjointed laugh when she came back.

"Muuuuuch better," she cheered, sticking out her tongue, moving her offhand to flick back some stray golden strands. "Feels like I've lifted a weight off myself… but don't think," Miss Maye bounced back with a semi-stern tinge to her voice, "….you're off the hook just yet. I'd still like you to explain what happened with Kyanna."

Such a line of conversation would take equally as long to unravel. That, and Tiffany looked exhausted after letting her baggage, no doubt stored over such a long period of time, come flooding out with the force of a tsunami. With that in mind, Mike thought it best to offer a middle ground.

"A promise is a promise," he nodded in agreement to his earlier words, "But first… how about we get comfy on the couch and order something to eat? Pizza alright? I'm not trying to delay… It's just I the feeling tonight might end up being a host to some looooong discussions."

"That'd be great. Is Pepperoni okay with you? Last time I went out with Audrey she forced anchovy pizza on me… gross. I can't do that again…."

Good, Tiff seemed on-board with the idea. A short reprieve and a little food always worked wonders when it came to calming frayed nerves.

"Consider it done, milady," Mike gave a regal bow, separating so he could collect his cell from the kitchen counter. He took a moment to exhale, punching in the buttons with a feeling of relief.

' _So far so good…. This might end up going better than I thought it would.'_

Swinging around, smooth smile armed and ready, the singer took in the sight of his lovely lady. There she sat, having since moved across to the couch, legs stretched out across the leather with a contented expression. Like clockwork, or perhaps reflex, Tiffany Maye was sunshine and rainbows once more.

' _Hello and welcome to Glenberry Pizza, home of the two for ten special. Order before midnight and you can have a small order of spicy wings absolutely free.'_

They'd finally picked up, and as usual the local pizza joint sounded absolutely miserable. Then again, who would want to spend their weekends topping frozen dough bases and frying chicken wings? Was there a college graduate who couldn't empathize? After, everyone had spent a few miserable weeks in fast food.

"Hey there," Winters put the phone to his ear, joining Tiffany on the couch with another jug of cocktail, freshly plucked from the confines of the fridge. "I'd like to place an order please. West Drive, Glenberry. I've called from this number before."

' _Hello again sir. What can we get you tonight?'_

* * *

Steam rose up in wispy streams from the large white box on the coffee table. There, sat half a vanquished Italian offering, empty glasses, and some finger wipes. Tiffany let out a drawn-out sigh, fed and happily watered, resting her sleepy head against Mike's shoulder.

"Wouldn't it be nice to do this every weekend? I could come over once my classes are done, we could veg out on the couch, some food, a couple of movies… the simple things in life are so good sometimes."

"I sense you're not a picky girl," Mike caressed the side of Tiffany's cheek with his thumb, basking in the peace and quiet. Low maintenance felt surprisingly good considering how everything went with Audrey before this. Booze, parties, money, clubbing, and even more money.

"No. I'd settle for a quiet place of my own, nice neighbourhood and a dog…. I've always wanted a puppy."

' _Just like Kyu said. Her insight into us humans and our personalities is a little creepy. Has she really been doing the whole 'love fairy' thing for so long that she can fit most of us into neat little boxes? Heh… wouldn't be surprised if she sees me as a wildcard….'_

"Miiiiiike." Snapping fingers brought the musician back from his little world. He was met with wonderful oceanic eyes and the warmth of a peck on the cheek. "You're phasing out again. Silly, you have a bad habit of doing that."

"I know…. I was I in deep thought." It was best not to talk about the person of which he was thinking. Bringing Kyu into the mix was an absolute no-go. Instead, he chose to move things toward a much needed topic of conversation.

"Let's talk about Kyanna," he spoke with an uncharacteristic seriousness, one that brought Tiffany's smile to a more subdued state. "It's not fair that I keep you in suspense any longer."

"Okay," the natural blonde edged back – her aura seeming a little sharper than in the moments prior. Though not as bad as before, the tension was undoubtable. "I only want to know a couple of things. Were you together before you met me? Did you guys… you know… do anything?"

"That last part," Tiff hugged her arms around her chest, a nervous chuckle filling the room, "That isn't my curiosity talking…. I'm… a virgin, Mike… and I'd like to know if you are, too."

It was time to get serious – an understanding nod of the head, perhaps a little stiff in reflection of his unease, and Winters was primed to go. Thoughts of the past swam in his mind as he pondered where to begin.

"Kyanna and me… we dated for a while before I met you. Well, kind of dated. There were these insane moments we had… where we kinda drifted together and then life ripped us apart again. It lasted for months, and in the end after some serious shit happened… I put my foot down. I deleted her number… and now I only see her once every couple of months for my hair appointments at Snips."

"Define 'kind of' dated for me, please." Tiffany's hands knotted into a tight clasp, held against her chest as she took slow, nervous breaths.

"We never officially got together. I mean… I know Kyanna wanted that, but it came at a time when we both had a lot going on in our lives. Almost a year ago, actually. I was busy focusing on my band. Not to mention she had all these issues with her ex… some called guy called 'Dario'.

If there was a 'look that symbolized fear then Tiffany Maye was wearing it right now. In fact, it hugged tightly around her features like a ballroom mask. "I see…."

"If you want an honest answer you're going to get one." This couldn't go on any longer – even though the cheerleader had steeled herself, the look of quiet terror in her eyes was almost heart-breaking. "There was one night when Kyanna and me… things went a little too far. We didn't have sex… but we came pretty close. She walked out on me after it was all over… and the next morning I woke up to an empty bed."

The painful reminder still stung, as sharp as a knife cutting into his skin. A shake of the head pushed the thoughts downward, shoving them inside the safe of his memories. "I'm not a virgin, Tiffany… but I haven't slept with Kyanna… and I didn't lose it to her, either."

The mask of fear shattered, and one of surprise was now resting in its place. Tiffany was certainly a young woman of many different sides, different faces. "Then who?" She asked, quite thoroughly shocked. "I thought all of this time it was her."

Dangerous territory had been reached. Red lights, warning sirens, rang inside Mike's mind with vicious abandon. Any mention of his firecracker ex, the girl he'd really dated – and this relationship would burn faster than a flashfire. Audrey's involvement had to remain hidden.

"A girl I came to care about more than Kyanna… was even stupid enough to fall in love with her. In her own fucked up way she was kind and innocent… and I genuinely believed there was something great about her. We were only together a little over a month…. In that time we did a lot together, parties, we went driving… even wrote a song about her. I was a fucking moron…."

Tiffany latched onto his hand, linking their fingers in a loving show of her dedication. "It's okay…. You don't have to say anything else. You've told me enough for now. Hehe… weird… you sound a little like Audrey."

"WHAT?" Too loud – it needed scaling back a notch. "I mean… what?"

That was far too close to home right now. Mike took a steady breath to calm his nerves.

"She keeps on talking about problems she's having with her ex over and over, but every time I ask her his name she doesn't really want to open up. I never expected that from Audrey of all people…. The very last thing she said to me before we stopped talking about it was that I should be grateful. Apparently, she thinks I'm lucky to have you…. I'd agree!"

' _So she's had the chance to blow things wide open more than once since I last saw her at the football, game, but she hasn't…. Audrey, being nice? Being forgiving? Did I miss a trick here?'_

She was obviously a better friend to Tiff than she was a girlfriend to him – of that there was no room for question. Mike took a quiet moment to count his blessings. Tonight it was obvious that the irony knew no bounds.

"I'd take her advice to heart. Seems like she's thinking about your best interests. No bias at all, I swear."

"Ohhhh… of course not. Not a shred of bias, huh?" The bouncy laughter from the honor student reverberated in the quiet of the room, and before he realized it arms were hugged around his waist again. "What could you possibly stand to gain from such a glowing review, I wonder?"

' _Far more than you realize. I want to make this work…. Hell, for once I'd like something in my relationship life to work out. It'd be nice, having a steady love-life without the added drama.'_

"Thank you, Mike,"Tiffany cooed, nestling against him as she took in the scent of his cologne. "It takes a lot reveal your innermost. Of all people I should know that… but you didn't hold back… and to do something like that you must really hold me dear."

The degree to which this wonderful blonde blessing had worked her way into his heart was no small amount – it was a truth he couldn't deny. In fact, part of him wondered, pondered the question of commitment. Was she special enough to think about the concept of sharing something with long-term potential?

As he held her like this, snuggled close, breathed in her strawberry shampoo, felt her warmth as she cuddled (dressed in a borrowed pair of shorts and one of his vests) like a lovebird, head resting against his beating heart, he truly hoped so. Past the early misconceptions and the mistakes there was a truly wonderful girl waiting for him. In fact, it turned out she'd been right under his nose all of this time.

Countless visits to the university campus in the past, helping the music students, building worthwhile connections with members of the facility and the local record labels, and not once passing her in the hallway had he even paid her any mind – but that didn't mean she wasn't waiting for him.

"You're welcome, Tiffany," he thanked her with a tender kiss on the forehead – one she returned with a delicate peck on the lips.

Light, pink and powerful, Sentiment and Charisma, sparked in her eyes. With a short chuckle, Tiffany snuck in, stealing yet another moment with his lips. Red faced, and beautiful, she didn't stop there, either, slowly closing her eyes – her hand creeping upward to rest at the back of his head.

"You wanna kiss me?" She asked playfully, her pools of blue flashing yet again in a powerful pink. "Just a little bit I mean…. When was the last time we spent time together like this, hmm? No arguing… no cross words… it's nice."

Likewise, in tandem with her own aura, one the cheerleader likely couldn't see at that, Mike surged a powerful blue, his calling card, his mantra. Talent, it flowed through his veins in a blissful surge, acting as the power to bind them together. Mere inches away from Tiffany's lips; he gave a nod of approval.

"It'd be my pleasure… distinct pleasure at that."

The passion was free – but the playboy remained under lock and key. As they joined, lips locked in a moist and sensitive embrace, the world spun in on itself in a wonderful haze. Blue sparked and crackled together with a foggy cloud of pink, two auras twisting and swirling in unison to become one. Hands, romantic in their intent and respectful in their pace, crept downward, Mikey barely taking notice as they stopped, resting in his lap. There they remained, playfully pattering, teasing his crotch.

Tiffany shuffled back a little, parting their lips with a crimson hue overtaking her whole face. "So erm," she began shyly. "How about you go grab some blankets and we snuggle on the couch tonight? It's been a while since we started dating… and I've not seen what you're…"

Those slender fingers of hers tightened around the growing, pulsating bulge locked away in Mike's boxers, "….hiding in there. I'm curious…. A little scared… but curious…."

"What happened to making out?" He asked sensually, caressing the side of her cheek with his index, "What if it just so happens… that I wanna kiss a while l-"

His playful advances were denied in another powerful exchange, a chuckle erupting from Miss Maye as she robbed his lips away, silencing his line. With every moment there came a snapping, the breaking of chains. The lover, the playboy, was getting closer and closer to the forefront.

By the time his blonde temptation crawled back, licking her lips, he was on the verge surrendering his restraints. "Who says we have to stop? In fact… Mikey? Forget the blankets… it's hot enough in here already, don't you think?"

Hands, warm and welcoming, pushed the surroundings upward. The next thing Mike knew he was on his back, held in place, with bright blue eyes twinkling like stars under dim illumination of the kitchen light. "I think I'm –"

Tiffany paused, crawling atop to assert her dominance, cheeks still flushed adorably red, "I'm almost ready to give you everything… maybe when you get back from your tour. I've never felt this way... so close to someone before. So, why don't we get a little more acquainted? Close your eyes…."

Her wish his command. Mike complied most happily, allowing the veil of darkness to descend as he closed his vision away. His ears took point, picking up the subtle sound of rustling clothes and short breaths - all while his skin felt small wiggles of Tiffany's hips as she pressed against his tummy. "Don't open them," she spoke sternly. "You have my word… you'll like it…."

Every second without sight brought with it only a greater height of arousal. Thoughts of gorgeous hips, mystical curves, and shapely breasts ran rampant in Mike's thoughts.

Something tender, soft, brushed against his lips, a sensation the likes of which the singer was not entirely familiar. "Open your mouth," Tiffany instructed with a tense breath. "You can trust me…."

He did as he was told, tensing in surprise as something warm, throbbing, and supple slipped between his membranes and into the confines of his oral cavity. He didn't question it, not in the slightest. Instinct took over, and Mike began, guided by his passions to lightly suck.

Tiffany quaked above him, her entire body shaking as a high-pitched help of excitement burst out. "Y-you can open them…."

The truth was revealed as the light returned. Tiffany, bare chested, breathed against his right ear as one of her swollen, tender nipples rested between his lips. Her back arched forward, her head of gorgeous golden hair rested upon his shoulder - as her torso half-slumped at an exotic angle across his chest.

An innocent, compassionate laugh, one of most heartfelt joy echoed across the near silence of the room, and writhing under his every movement, the cheerleader clasped her palms the sides of his face. "I love you, Mike Winters," she edged back, freeing up the singer for a response.

There she waited, eyes pleading for the same affection, "I know I've said it once or twice in mushy conversation… but I mean it. I love you, so very much."

In truth, he knew the answer in his heart. No amount of trying to hide his feelings could seal it away. "I love you too, Tiffany Maye."

"I'm glad!" She squealed, bright and cheery, her inner sunshine almost powerful enough to set the lounge ablaze.

With all said and done, the two lovers joined in a heartfelt kiss. Mike had no reason to refuse – no reason to turn her away after so many thoughts and feelings had been laid bare tonight. Love was about giving and taking, a two-way bond of commitment and trust, and he needed to show more than anything that he'd be there for the woman he loved. However – a fearful spark, tiny but volatile, still surged in the deepest core of his being. After all, there was another part of his life that he couldn't simply wash away.

' _It's true that the word 'commitment' scares me a tiny bit… but I can't deny that all those things Kyu warned me about are getting awfully tempting. A house in the suburbs with a picket face, and a little dog. Who'd have thought it? It's crazy how honest love can change your outlook. Then again, there is one thing I need to consider. If I get serious with Tiffany… what happens to the band?'_

**To be continued….**


	9. Blondie – Part IX

Three long weeks on the road – moving between hotels and venues. Between the lights – the passion and the sights, there was one thing that was certain: it was good to be home. Glenberry was where life held its roots for Mike Winters now. The sleepy little town he'd been raised? It bore little in the way of significance anymore. The vibrant allure of small-time city life held enough sweet temptations to capture the heart. Smiles, wishes, and regrets – they all meant nothing in the grander scope of things.

Tonight was the night – the final show of the 'Classical Lights' tour. An aptly named affair that only brought the stakes into contrast. A lot of pressure rested on the shoulders of each and every artisan of the musical craft – the amount of people packed into the arena was almost overwhelming.

Backstage – eying his sharply dressed physique - a certain blond violinist closed his fingers around the shiny silver pendant in his palm, smiling sadly in reflection. "….I'm having second thoughts. What would you do if you were here, Angela?"

Mother – long since departed – sorely missed by the classical music community, still held so much significance. Her passionate tears on the stage – her fragile, angelic demeanour - they'd served to capture the hearts of millions in days gone by.

"You can do this. Keep it together."

A soft flicker caught against the pendant. Placing the precious ornament around his neck and slotting the clasp into place, Winters returned to the mirror for final confirmation. Black pants, a finely pressed white shirt, perfectly polished shoes – yes he was the 'picture perfect' definition of what classical should be.

A nervous heartbeat signalled the arrival of his time to perform – and as another performer received her applause and bowed off stage – it became abundantly clear.

Stagehands set the scene – acting as escorts as the lights cut to black. Even in the darkness – violin held in hand, prepared to deliver his message to the world, Mike could feel the eyes on him. Thousands gazed at his outline in the void-like blackness, awaiting his crescendo.

Heat and spotlights snapped to life in a vibrant flash – and there he stood, surrounded by a trio of wide speakers. Smiling, serene and calm, he looked to his audience – giving a respectful bow.

"It's an honor to be here for you tonight, in Glenberry of all places. Before I perform, I'd like to give my deepest thanks. I never thought I'd be up here, standing on the very same stage that my mother did all those years ago."

Just the mention of Angela brought tears to the eyes of a portly lady in the front row. She smiled sadly, dabbing her eyes with a tissue and moving to adjust the tassels of her elegant velvet frock. Such a sight was enough to throw everything into perspective outright.

A sad curve of the lips was fitting – it was all Mike had the power to give. Bringing his fine string instrument to bare, the musician granted his regal audience the placation they desired. However, as every touch of bow against string brought them closer to happiness – it only made him feel numb.

' _Here I am… standing in your shadow again, mom. This isn't me. I don't want this to be how I'm remembered by the people that see me on stage. I'm not your tragic lovechild… and I'm not just some legacy item you left behind. Dammit Angela! I'm my own man!'_

Tears flowed freely, pattering against the polished stage floor – bringing the performance to its height in tandem with powerful cries of sting beauty. The audience, enthralled and tearful for their own reasons, would sadly never know the true extent of Winters' pain – he cried for a different reason entirely.

His final bow at the end of his fifteen minutes of fame meant nothing. The people tossing roses at his feet, standing from their seats in rapturous applause – flashing their cameras and showing their thanks - none of it made a shred of difference.

How could he have been so foolish as to not see it before? People used his status for the sole purpose of personal gain. The son of Angela was good for just one thing:

' _They're using the memory of my mother to make money – and worse… they're using me to do it. The people in this audience? They're grieving for a ghost that'll never come back. I can't do this anymore….'_

* * *

The end of the show brought with it some sober reflection. Sat in the front of a cab – on the way back toward the busier part of town, finally dressed down a notch in a casual black shirt and pants, Mikey watched the scenery roll by.

He needed advice and guidance. He needed something to help bring everything together – too many conflicting voices screamed out without a hope in hell of receiving an answer.

"There's one person I could ask for help…"

The Huniebee brought with it a treasure trove of information – both trivial and equally life changing in scope. A flick of the finger through the various girls' profiles brought with it a smile. Indeed, the most recent addition was about the only one who would give him the time of day on such a sensitive dilemma.

A fiendishly alluring smile, a gorgeous, shapely, body fitting only the finest of glamour magazine models. Tanned skin, bright blonde hair, and a voice as hauntingly hypnotic as a siren's melody. Jessica, Jessie, a cougar with enough passion to make even the reddest of roses blush.

Jabbing the confirmation button was all it took – there was no going back now. The message screen sat open, awaiting eager fingers to send out a text. Mike watched the Golden Falls Casino glide by from his seat in the car – sighing to himself as he constructed his plea for aid.

' _Hey Jessie… It's Mike. We met in the bar a few weeks back – remember? I know it's late, but I was wondering if you're free right now? I could use a little company… having a rough day… and I was hoping we could talk. You're a good listener. I'll be kicking around town for a while before heading home, so no rush.'_

Nodding, contented, he scanned over the contents of his S.O.S one final time. He hoped this would be enough to gain a few minutes of her time. Jessie seemed high maintenance, wonderfully demanding in a way that was hard to refuse outright.

' _Message sent.'_

The car pulled to a sharp stop at the corner of 12th Street. Good, at least it wasn't far to walk from his intended destination. Lusties served the best drinks this side of town – there was no questioning that. A handful of bills later Winters stepped out of the car and looked across the road. Cars buzzed past while the student crowd moved from bar to bar – girls giggling in there skimpy dresses and guys perusing the bars in the usual hunie hunting fashion. The weekend was here.

Mike's only hope was that a little music and a few cold ones would help him forget this awful night. Too many reminders of where he came from did little for the morale at times like these. Hard decisions brought with them the risk of sadness to others. It was something he hoped to avoid. The old situation with Kyanna still left a bitter taste in the mouth in a way that words could hardly describe.

"Hmm? A reply already? That was fast…. Unless it's somebody else."

The Huniebee screen sprang to life with excessive glittery sparkles – chiming in a bizarre magical song as heart-shaped balloons burst across the screen. The message page demanded attention. Damn, these weird fairy phones sure did have a way of being obnoxious.

Jessie's profile had an unread message attached. Talk about attentive. A press of her icon brought up the signature heart meter and a wide list of other titbits of information. He scrolled past them, however – solely focused on reading her reply - making off in the direction of his favourite venue. Even from a distance, the line outside Lusties seemed long. People curled around the street corner in waiting.

' _Awwww…. Hey baby. You finally got in touch. Of course I remember a guy as cute as you. Tell you what… I'm at the skating rink across from Vinnies Restaurant. Why not join me? I'd love to show you my moves…. I'll be waiting…. MUAH! Love you. X x x'_

The skating rink? At ten in the evening? An interesting way to spend Friday night, for sure. The idea left a nervous pang in Mike's chest. The dexterity and grace associated with stepping foot on the ice was something he was sadly lacking. Singing was one thing, dancing, skating; anything that involved finesse was another entirely. It was the exact reason he stayed off the rink when visiting with Tiffany last month.

Maybe it was best to avoid it and politely decline. No – he couldn't do that. Jessie was waiting for him now. Turning down her invitation or worse, not showing up at all – especially after taking the initiative to make first contact, wasn't a very gentlemanly thing to do. Men in his shoes would've given anything to spend time in the company of a woman so awe-inspiringly gorgeous.

"I'll be fine so long as she doesn't get me on the ice," Mike sighed, shaking his head in memory of the last time he had to skate. "Last time was with Audrey… and that _did not_ end well. Plenty of bruises and a dislocated finger to remind me of that…."

No shit – it wasn't very fun getting a digit popped back into place at the doctor's office.

* * *

The worst nightmare was reality. No amount of quiet protests and subtle hints kept Jessie away. Heartbeat through the roof, Mike struggled; feet slipping as the babe in leopard print held him close. This wasn't good – he was going to fall!

"It's okay precious…. I won't let you go." Those blue eyes sure had a soothing effect.

Mike felt himself lost – comforted in a way he couldn't describe as his gentle, playful skating partner gripped his hands, escorting him onto the ice with a laugh.

"You don't understand, Jessie…. The last time I came here it was a total d-"

She silenced him with a wink – helping him in all of his flailing to the railings at the sides. "Calm down…. It's okay baby. Trust your auntie Jessie… she'll take good care of you. Now, just hold on tight, alright?"

Clinging on for dear life was about the only choice right now. Mike watched in astonishment.

"I'll show you how it's done," the peroxide vixen edged back on her skates – taking centre stage.

She spun out – elegant as a figure skater and enchanting as a snow fairy. Amazing – her every movement was so perfectly timed, choreographed - flawless down to the letter. Mike continued to hang on in there – but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel an ounce of familiarity with this situation. Where had he seen such wonderful, artistic movements before?

Jessie blew him a kiss and twizzled – one arm behind her back and the other edging down the length of her thigh. Her vibrant hair, striking clothes, and goddess-like figure – they all worked in unison to make this moment all the more overwhelming. Mike clung on tighter, his legs struggling to stay upright. There was something about her – so welcoming yet overpowering at the same time.

By the time she came back across Mike found his breathing heavy, eyes wide – his thoughts alight with fireworks. "That was," he paused, taking a moment to centre himself. "That was…."

Jessie placed a soft finger upon his lips, shushing him with an inviting, smooth chuckle. "Told you I was good. What did you think? Amazing, right honey?"

"Outstanding," he nodded, "You might think this sounds a little weird but… the way you move…. It's like something you see in contests!"

"Awwww…. Mike, sweetie. You know – the adorable grin on your face there. You look so much like my little girl the first time I brought her skating with me. She was four… and she said I was beautiful like an angel…. She kept on slipping, falling on her butt… but I kept on picking her up, and by the time afternoon rolled around she was so happy… smiling and making little circles on her skates…."

Mike felt his hand snatched away – Jessie carefully escorting him away from the rails – bringing his wobbly legs toward the edge of the rink. The way she gripped his hand, so motherly and kind – it filled his fragile, beating core with a calming glow the likes of which he'd never really felt before.

It brought a question – both curious and polite, to the front of his thoughts. "Mind if I ask you something, Jessie?"

"Go ahead…. I'm all yours, handsome."

He had to know – after all, in their brief but meaningful meetings she'd mentioned her daughter so much. "You sound like you really care about your girl, Jessie. It's nice… seeing those maternal feelings I mean. It's not something I've really experienced all that much before. How does it feel? You know… to be a mother."

There came an abrupt pause after his question. Jessie sat herself – taking off her skates – expression far more subdued than the moments before. By the time her smile came back it was full force – shining brighter than a morning sunrise.

"It's the most beautiful thing in the world," she answered fondly – eyes cloudy with heartfelt emotion, "You won't know for yourself until you have a kid of your own… but my little lady means the whole world to me. Watching her grow… bringing her home from kindergarten and seeing all the cute little drawings she made… her first day in Junior High. I was so proud."

Tears followed – Jessie shielding her face and turning away to dab the watery droplets away. She breathed deep – burying the emotion and coming back with her usual playful flare. "Sorry honey…. It can't be pretty seeing a lady cry like this. I got a little overwhelmed, that's all."

An icy pang rose up – Mike was unable to suppress the hint of guilt he felt for asking such a question without thinking. He reached out, tactful and comforting, and linked his fingers with those of the older woman. "Your daughter sounds like the luckiest girl in the world. I never knew my mom… so I guess you could say I've always struggled to wrap my head around those kinds of feelings…."

Jessie shuffled close, resting her soft hands upon Mike's shoulders. Her eyes, so crystalline and beautiful, shone with a sincerity he'd not seen thus far. "You never knew your mother?"

Her question sounded so pitiful - almost heart breaking in fact. "Do you mind if I ask what happened? If not then I'll understand, precious… but… I can't imagine that was easy for you."

Before Mike could answer, he found himself drawn into a warml hug – his face pressed against Jessie's chest as she held him tightly as a little girl held her doll.

"It was," he relaxed into her embrace – soothed by the much needed comfort after a difficult day. "It wasn't something I had any control over. Her name was Angela… Angela Winters. She died of a heart condition about six months after I was born."

Taking in the scent of Jessie's perfume for a moment, Mike edged back across the bench, unclasping the pendant from around his neck. Opening it with his thumb, he placed the precious object in Jessie's palm. "This is the only picture I have of her. She's twenty-three in this photo. My uncle told me it was taken a few weeks before her last performance."

"She looks wonderful," Jessie paused, taking a closer look at the curly-haired blonde girl in the picture window. "You have her eyes…. So strong, so passionate. Green eyes are beautiful… like emeralds."

Mike took the pendant back – clasping it around his neck with a smile. "Thanks…."

"How cute. Look at you, baby boy…. You're blushing…."

Dammit – she had him on the ropes here. Wilting like a flower – grinning like an idiot and defenceless, Winters looked away – quickly pulling back as Jessie placed a hand upon his burning cheek, caressing his smooth skin with passionate fingers.

"How about we go for a drink? I've been dry all day, Mikey…. You said you were having a hard time, right? Then c'mon… let's go unwind and you can tell momma all about it…."

One look at his watch betrayed the idea. They'd been here far longer than he initially thought. Midnight stared back in digital neon across the face of the timepiece. "The line at Lusties was huge on my way here. I doubt we'll get in this late."

Jessie slipped on her shoes and got back up, a teasing wiggle of her behind as she spun around, gesturing for the younger musician to follow. "Who said anything about going to the club? I'm free all night…. How about you show me your place? You look like a guy that knows how to make a good drink for a girl…. I could use something _stiff inside me…._ Think you can provide?"

Caution – Mike felt his whole body crank several degrees – the implications here were dangerous.

"I… wow… shit…." He popped the buttons on his shirt. "It's hot in here all of the sudden…."

"Hehe! I don't bite, Mikey… promise…. Now, c'mon…. Don't keep a girl waiting." Before he could even object his hands were captured, linked together with Jessie's long, elegant fingers. She pulled him along with a devilishly sensual smile.

Her aura twisted and twirled – licking up the floors and walls like fire. She gave off an outline of deepest most passionate red. Sexuality, Mike's biggest weak point – his weakest trait according to Kyu – the thing he struggled to resist. Her very presence was overpowering!

It seemed that one way or another, this sexy she-panther was coming home with him tonight.

* * *

Mike slid across the lounge hardwood – stopping against the counter with a suave smirk. Cocktail time – his favourite time of the evening. If there was one thing he took pride in it was the preparation of a nice, smooth drink, Jessie sprawled across the leather couch with an almost erotic sigh of approval, wiggling her toes over the side.

"What can I get you to drink, Jessie? I've got just about everything in here. Liquor, vodka, imported gin – might even have some Jägermeister."

"Oooooo… sounds like you're well equipped for the task. How about a Martini?"

That one he could do – easier than most of the others, in fact. "Coming right up."

' _Okay… preparation time….'_

The most important part of this one was gin. Only the best would do – not the cheap shit. Beefeater was some of the best out there – imported from Britain, crisp, clean, and most definitely an exceptional taste. Nodding, Mikey plucked it from the cabinet underneath the counter, running a hand through his peroxide locks.

Next up was the cocktail shaker – essential for ensuring a perfect mix. Silver and shiny, it had its place beside the fridge – always ready to accommodate the drinking needs of any visitor.

' _Last thing I need is Vermouth… Sure I had a bottle of dry Noilly in here somewhere… behind the Sambuca… yeah. There it is.'_

Everything was set – first came the Beefeater - alongside a strong dash of the Niolly. Into the mixer they went – a hard, controlled shake blending them together. Now to add the finishing touches, you couldn't have a Martini without a little twist.

Reaching for a peeler from the draw and a citrus fruit from the fridge, Mike set to work, tactfully, artfully turning his hand to get the perfect peel. Now, set and ready to go, he released the alcoholic mixture form its capsule – watching with a smile as it filled the glass, topping it off with the little curl of fruit. Perfect, it seemed his part-time stint in the Bar and Lounge when he first came to town paid off after all.

After throwing together a little drink of his own – a tall brassy liquor on the rocks – he nodded. The job was well done.

It was time to present the beverage. Reaching for the glasses, Winters delivered them with pride, giving a wink as he set his own down. "Martini. British gin and Italian vermouth. Give it a try."

"Nice… the good stuff. You sure know how to spoil a girl, Mikey…."

Jessie took a delicate, sensual sip from the glass, tilting her head back just the slightest bit – enough for the liquid to slither down her throat. She seemed to be smiling, good.

"Not bad… not bad at all, baby. You know what? If I owned a bar of my own, I'd hire you…. Pretty face… and you know your way around a cocktail… I bet you'd make me some money…."

The gorgeous tigeress set her glass down upon the coffee table – scooting over for Mike to sit beside her. "Get comfy. I bet you have a lot on your mind. Don't you fret… not for a second. Jessie's all ears."

"Okay," Winters plucked his tipple from the coffee table, taking a hard mouthful, letting the glass rest between his fingers. "Remember how I told you about my girlfriend before?"

"Of course I do," she answered assuredly, "How could I forget? Seeing such a dashing thing looking so gloomy like that. How did it go, honey?"

"Good," that was one word for it. "We've managed to straighten things out but… now it feels as though we're at an impasse. Hear me out…."

Jessie leaned forward – her ample feminine assets almost spilling from the protection of their leopard print confines as she adjusted her position, sitting with legs folded, topping it all off with an inviting giggle. "I'm listening…."

"When we last met up a few weeks ago I realized something, Jessie. She wants commitment – and I can accept that, you know? She's a good girl, kind-hearted as they come. Amazing grades – smart, beautiful. For real, a guy like me couldn't ask for somebody better. A grade cheerleader with a flawless academic record…"

It was such perfection that frightened him – Jessie obviously picked up on it, too. She reached out – her intuition bordering on scary, taking his hands and placing them in the warmth of her lap. "If she's so wonderful why the sad face? I hate seeing you frown… breaks my heart…."

Holding back the truth wouldn't do anything – not if an honest answer was what Mike wanted, anyway. Nodding, prepared for the confession ahead, he tightened his hands around those of Jessie in a showing of thanks.

"It took me a lot to get here. Long story short, I'm a singer. My band wasn't going anywhere when we first arrived in town – I was going nowhere good, either. It took time, lots of help, lots of painful goodbyes… but I finally changed that. Now my bandmates and me are on the verge of a recording contract and I don't know if I can gi-"

Mike fell silent – shuddering in surprise. Jessie was- She was holding him? Why would she-

"Women's intuition…. Let me take a guess. You're scared that if you settle down you'll have to give up on the life you have now? Oh baby… Momma Jessie's been there, alright. She sure has…."

"How did you- You're freaking me out here." A deep breath was enough to calm everything down again.

"Yeah… You're right. God knows how you guessed like that… but- I've changed everything in my life to get here. Become real distant from my friends… don't see my family as much… I ran out of fingers to count the amount of changes I've made… most of them difficult ones, too."

Jessie nodded – her expression a strange hybrid between motherly comfort and playful passion. "I see it in those pretty green eyes, honey. You're hurting… and you're thinking too much about your life. Sounds like you need to let go… forget…."

Those sounded like words from the deepest depths of experience. What was the truth behind Jessie and her mysterious, flirtatious persona?

"How about you, Jess? Have you made any hard choices? Surely I can't be the only one."

The beautiful fox finished the last of her cocktail, setting down the glass and taking back Mike's hands again. Her blue eyes shone bright – compassionate, if not a little bit sad. "Jess... that's cute... I like it..."

After a brief silence, she continued:

"Yes I have. I've made the kind of choices most people wouldn't have the heart to make. I know what it's like… to have the ones you love cry over the things you've done… to judge you… and hate you, too. People that know that kind of hurt – they give off a feeling you can't describe. You just… _know_ what it is."

Once again, Mister Winters felt horribly insensitive. He hid his gaze – staring downward at the leather of the couch. "I'm sorry," he spoke pleadingly, "I didn't want to drag something up to make you sad…. All I wanted was a little guidance…. I don't know what to do."

"Enjoy your life," Jessica pulled his gaze her way – locking sapphires with emeralds in a heartfelt exchange. Her hands, slinked around his face, were trembling. "You're young, you're handsome… you're the kind of guy with a lot to give…. So I'll warn you…. Keep worrying like that and you'll burn yourself out. I couldn't bare seeing that happen… it's why I sat with you that night… you looked so upset. Mike... sweetie... that's no way to live."

"I don't know how to switch off," Mike admitted – a tinge of venomous disgust in his voice. "I spend half my time worrying about where my life's going, and the other half trying to get wherever the hell it is that I need to be. I went from not being serious enough… to taking things too fucking seriously."

Giving a tragic, deflated sigh, Jessie shuffled close. She had a look the likes of which he struggled to comprehend, something so detached from her usual flirtatious attitude. She drew Mike in – holding him against her chest, running her fingertips through the expanse of his peroxide strands.

"There there…. Jessie's got you. It's all going to be juuuust fine, promise. Now let it all out… every last nasty tear…. Don't hold back anymore."

Her invitation – like a mother comforting her child – the kind of comfort he'd seldom known nor received from his aunt in the past, the only woman who came close to a motherly parental figure in his life. Things had been building up for too long. Fear, pain, anxiety, stress, sadness – the symptoms of a swollen, breaking heart. It was impossible to keep them trapped inside.

A tidal wave flooded over the barriers. Freed at long last, it washed over everything, coming out in a hefty torrent of sobbing release – staining Mike's features with watery lines. He leaned in – aflame with pain and passion, inching closer and closer – lips mere inches away from those of the blonde bombshell.

"Help me stop hurting…. Please… I just want…. I want all of the fear and anxiety to go away…."

"Mikey," Jessica traced the edges of her fingers across his skin, closing the gap. "That's what I was getting at all along…. Okay hon… I'll give you everything I've got… and I won't fake it…. Not for a second."

Lips, soft, warm, and amazingly passionate, pressed against his own. Her kiss was explosive, beyond the likes of anything he'd felt from any other woman. An eruption of emotions cascaded in perfect harmony as Jessie stole his lips, seized his heartbeat, and caressed his very soul. Even with closed eyes, he could sense her – everything that was Mike trembled in submission under her wonderful assault.

Before he even realized it, his back was pinned against the couch – his whole body straddled under the claws and paws of a gorgeous lady leopard. Sexual cries crawled within his every thought – almost robbing his free will. Long, beautiful legs coiled, squeezing tight to lock him in place. There was no way out – as if a fly trapped in a spider web.

Jessie parted, slipping back, leaning with just enough weight to keep Mike from escaping. With a single swift movement of her left arm, she pulled away her spotted top, snapping away her bra with just as much precision. Chest exposed, she leaned in, capturing her pray between two well-rounded, supple pillows.

Passion to ease the pain – Mike had been here once before. This time around, it was different – he knew a little more than her name. Parts of her past were known, too, but in truth, in the blackest part of his heart – it was of little concern. Jessie had done more to dissolve his unease in two simple meetings than even his love fairy. It was time to return such kindness with flare, and a visit from his inner playboy.

A flash of blue – a swirl of pink – a coordinated strike from his two strongest traits. Talent and Charisma. In a single swift movement Mike brought everything he had to bare, toppling Jessie and taking the dominant position atop of her.

"Want me to show you what I can do?" He growled, low and sexual – fingertips caressing her bare skin. "You'd be surprised….."

A mighty surge of red filled the room – raw, overpowering Sexuality proving enough to collide with his dual-color love spectrum, the three shades crashing into a miniature rainbow. Once the initial surge cleared, Mike had to take a breath – his head spinning. What? He was on his back again!

' _Well shit…. How'd that happen? Damn Jess…. You're… fuck…. You've got some serious power!'_

"No can do," Jessie winked – blowing a sensual kiss as Mike remained helpless beneath her. "You just lay there… leave it all to me, alright gorgeous?"

Stunned beyond compare – his inner fire – the ultimate weapon silenced, he nodded in bewliderment. Never before had a girl defeated him so soundly in the game of love before – not without his wilful submission first.

It was right then that he realized it – the truth staring him directly in the face – stroking his soul and melting his heart with two ocean eyes. This wasn't a typical young lady in front of him. Tonight Mike was dealing with a goddess. Her art – her craft, the way she wielded untold amounts of allure at her fingertips, Jessica could ease the suffering of any man through sheer prowess alone. _She was a professional._

Right now – beyond all else, one thing was certain in his mind, too.

' _Tomorrow's a new day…. For now? It's about feeling alive… I love you Tiffany…. I can say that, even as I look another woman in the eyes… but I love you so much I think it's breaking me in two. Tonight's my night – and from tomorrow onward… I'll be yours forever.'_

A lightshow twisted like a tornado, pink, red and blue creating a powerful beacon to bring luminescence to the surrounding shadows. Smiling, back in the game, if not placed on the defensive for now, Winters took a gentle squeeze of Jessie's ample chest, a honey sweet chuckle acting as consent to her terms.

"Okay Jess… Free me… Take all of my fear away…."

Jessie stradled him – her teeth attacking his neck in reckless abandon. "Now don't go feeling guilty," she uttered, soft and enchanting, taking sharp nips at his skin. "It's only sex, baby…. There's nothing wrong with a little passion on the side….."

At least for now – for this single night alone, Mike was willing to agree.

"Showtime..." The playboy - Kyu's greatest project yet - was ready to go.

' _Whoever said Talent and Sexuality don't mix... I'm about to prove them wrong...'_

**To be continued….**


	10. Blondie - Part X

The Bar and Lounge bustled with life on this – a vibrant Friday night. People huddled around their tables with drinks in the wake of a college football re-run. At the front of the thirsty patrons, a certain blond and his magical fairy sat obscured by the masses. It was time for a little relaxation after a long tour on the road. Such was the life of a musician, uprooting and going where the action held strongest. That, and to say Mike Winters didn't feel empowered after recent events was the understatement of the year.

"Looks like we're getting toward the end of a long, looong road, doesn't it?"

Mike took a stiff mouthful of sauce: basking in the sweet burn of the finest golden liquor as it crawled lovingly down his throat.

Kyu clanked their glasses. "Someone sure sounds confident. The smirk on your face…. What you got planned, playa?"

The simplicity of her disguise never caused to amaze him. Going out into the human world was as simple pushing the wings inside her back, changing the shade of her locks with a splash of magic, and slapping on a suitably alluring dress for the evening.

"I've been out the last couple of nights for… _personal_ reasons. Put it this way…. By the end of tonight? The deal should be sealed. My career's on the up and I'm meeting Tiffany later."

"Oh, that's," the lovely fairy paused – swirling the booze in her glass apprehensively, "That's great! Is that a nice way of sayin' you don't need me?"

"What more is there to do?"

Such a question came with a degree of simplicity. For once, there was no doubt, no hesitation, not a shred of uncertainty. Winters knew exactly what he wanted. "I'm done with the classical music scene. A local record label called Mark the other night and offered us a draft contract to look over… and I feel like I'm finally past some of the personal crap I've had swimming in my head."

"Careful, Tiger," Kyu warned, walloping back her drink with a faint sigh of relief, "Wildcard's like you? You should expect the unexpected. I mean…. Look at what happened when Blondie found out about Kyanna."

"Old news," Mike countered, cool and collected, popping the buttons on his shirt, "Things with Tiff couldn't be better… and I'm waaay beyond all the crap with Kyanna. Between you and me, the other night I got me some serious game…. It was a onetime thing… but… let me tell you. She _blew my mind_!"

Something about Kyu's silence over this whole thing brought a faint twinge of unease. He sensed something in the back of his mind – and it was only further ingrained as the usually carefree fairy twitched at his admission. More than that, in fact. She tensed against the padding of the booth seating.

"Oh… that's great."

Her _strange_ behavior didn't last long however – the heat of her usual, magical smile coming to life as though somebody reignited a star in the sky.

"Tell me about her," she bounced back energetically. "You got a picture or something?"

"Sure do," Mike slid his Huniebee across the table: the screen shined brightly upon her profile page. "Check her out…. She's called Jessica, Jessie. We met in some fleapit of a cocktail house a few weeks back, but she gave me her number. Was kinda having a rough night when I got home the other day… so I called her."

Leaning back into his comfortable corner, proud, cool and collected, Winters relaxed, resting his head against folded arms. "The rest? It's history. She was… great. Something about her felt a little familiar. But that night… it was… just…. DAMN!"

"Familiar?" Kyu asked, reaching over and presenting the euphoric showman with a slap on the shoulder. "What… like you've met her before or something?"

"Well," Mike polished off the last of his liquor, looking to the bartender with flare, "Yes… and no. I can't explain it. It's like…. Okay. The best way I can describe it is that it feels like I know her from somewhere…."

"I wonder. Jessica…. Jessie…. I don't know…. You _suuuuure_ you haven't met somebody like her before?"

"Positive," he nodded – looking off as the bartender, rushed and indignant, brought another much needed hit of the good stuff. "Put it on my tab."

It was time to do a little soul searching. Had he met Jessica before in some strange twist of fate? Perhaps he'd crossed paths with her in the past and not realized it before. After all, Glenberry wasn't too big. It definitely fell more comfortably into large town status than it did small city territory.

"Well Mikey."

Kyu carried on, wide eyed and passionate, a tiny flicker of magical light sparking in her eyes as she reached over, grabbing one of his hands and squeezing it tight. What was up with her today? Such erratic actions, even to fairy standards, were a little over the top.

"Between you and me, homie," she winked, opening his palm out to trace against the lines with faint pink sparkles. Like glitter, they soaked into his skin, causing a warm, pleasing tingle to race up his arm. "I don't think me and you are through just yet. Call it a hunch… but I'm not signing you off. You and me, Winters? We've got a ways to go yet."

Downing his booze in one, Mikey gazed with intent at the delicate movements of her forefinger as it slid across the expanse of his palm, leaving a subtle magical imprint as it went. Strangely, it stuck too, leaving his hand with a faint pinkish glimmer.

"What are you doing there? Feels kinda… nice."

"Nothing," she giggled, releasing his hand – the light of her markings vanishing into nothingness. "Just dickin' around. For reals though. Lemme ask you something."

"Shoot."

Kyu paused - taking a deep breath.

"You believe in happy endings? You know what I mean. Two people meet; they fall in love, and stay together for the long ride. All the cheesy stuff you humans pump into your movies."

"I didn't… until I met Tiff. Shit, there was one girl I considered a future with… but that was so long ago. We both knew we were headed in very different directions. She's long gone now. Off living the life in the next city over."

"Oooooo," Kyu cheered, "Juicy. You never mentioned this before. What was her name?"

"Not important," Mike smiled sadly, taking in the distant memories he'd long since locked away. "Why'd you ask? The whole 'happy ending' line I mean. You don't think I'm cut out for it?"

"Nothing like that. In fact, that's a fat load of shit and you know it. I was just wondering is all. Not everyone gets the happy end they want, feel me? Wanted to know if you're one of those humans that thinks it can happen."

"I do now I've met Tiffany," he clarified with a stern nod of commitment, "Rewind a year and I didn't want it. Go back even further I didn't think I deserved it. _She_ was too good for me…. Now? I think I'm good and ready…. It's what I want."

"Well good for you," Kyu beamed, giving her thumbs up of approval before sliding back into her seat. "If that's how feel then this job might be over faster than I think. Dayum… can't believe I've been stuck with your hopeless ass for a whole year now."

Mike wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but her aura became warmer, much warmer – her otherworldly shade of pink burning so bright it was dizzying.

' _Am I imagining things? Is this the booze talking or is it her? Keep it together, idiot.'_

"It'll be a shame when I go. I've really enjoyed kicking around this place for so long. Fun fact. When my boss Venus heard your call for help, she tossed your file into the office. Me and my co-worker Cynthia were the only ones in at the time. I let her have it, but then boss lady said something weird…."

Something about Kyu's expression ignited a faint flame of curiosity. "What she say?"

"She took your papers from Cynthia… came across to me… sat down, put the file in my hand and everything. I've never seen her look so serious in all the years I've worked there. 'Make something of this one if you can. I expect you to deliver results. It is not often that a human prayer reaches my ears directly. I find it... mildly frustrating.'"

Mike needed a moment to check he was still plugged in to reality. Now he sure wasn't expecting a surprise on that kind of level.

"About me? Your boss… the woman you work for… _specifically_ told you to come to me?"

"Yep," Kyu nodded.

"I'd say I've done a pretty good job so far. Am I right, or am I right? I mean… let's take a rain check. Kyanna… Suki… and yeah, don't think I didn't find about that quirky little weeb you finger-fucked. Audrey, Tiffany, and this 'Jessica' girl. That's five girls on your radar since you met me. Not to mention your band's actually going somewhere now."

"Speaking of that," an excited clap of the hands from the fairy, "What are you doing for the rest of the month? Cuz I bet it'd be a total riot if I took you to Sky Garden!"

Sky Garden? As in, the place the fairies came from? He'd heard about it countless times in discussion but never received anything of a formal invite. How many humans could say that'd been to a world filled with magical creatures? Curious about the opportunity, Mike recalled his calendar.

"Not too much going on. The guys and me have a show booked a couple of weeks from now. It's the UOG football team's last game of the season. They're playing at the stadium. We've been offered some big money to play duing half-time."

"Great!" Miss Sugardust snatched up his hand again, "Then there's no excuse. We should totally go! One night. You can crash on my couch! We'll party like you've never partied before!"

"Maybe after the game. Speaking of football games…. I have a cheerleader I need to meet. It's gone nine. She should be out of her evening study session by now. Said I'd meet her on campus. You got anything going on tonight?"

"Fucking paperwork," Kyu sighed loudly, thumping her head into the table. "You're the lucky one. You get to walk around and do whatever you want! Everything you do means more papers for me. Venus? She loooooves shit in writing."

"Sorry about that." It was time to get going. Mike climbed out from his seat and dusted himself down. "Look on the bright side. A little while longer and you won't be filling out my papers anymore. You'll be free to vacay wherever the fuck you want… and I'll be right where I wanna be."

To his surprise, Kyu moved to meet him – her small frame blocking his exit through the open doorway. She grabbed him, resting her hands upon his shoulders.

"Careful what you wish for, Tiger."

Otherworldly fire surged throughout Mike's entire body – his brain only able to keep its focus on a single sensation. A gentle, moist softness. Lips, the lips of his fairy, the lips of his friend, caressed his own with unbelievable power, shaking his senses to the core as she moved to heighten their sudden connection. He shuddered under the weight as Kyu's emotions, her magic, everything about her sparked through his veins, sending electricity down the base of his spine.

When she parted, the world wobbled around in a hazy circle, every circuit in his body threatening to burn out. He toppled, dizzy and fractured, but found nothing but further warmth.

"What are you- Kyu…."

She held him in her arms, squeezing him tightly. "Like I said. _Be real careful_ what you wish for, dude. Don't go forgetting what we talked about, either. Ask yourself what kind of ending you want…."

"What do y-"

"Shhhh," her delicate finger upon his lips brought silence – ephemeral stillness and a powerful red glow across his cheeks. "Go on, Mike. Don't keep your girl waiting…."

There wasn't a second to respond. Mike found his legs moving on their own, shoved into motion by a tiny burst of magical essence. There he stood, on the sidewalk, surrounded by a slew of pedestrian traffic. Kyu's words hung in his mind – bringing his thoughts to an uneasy, floating restlessness.

' _Be real careful what you wish for, dude. Ask yourself what kind of ending you want….'_

What did she mean? He knew what he wanted. Only a fool would turn away the shining beacon of light that was Tiffany Maye after going through so much.

"I know what I want," he assured himself further, squeezing a hand into a fist. His feet, slow at first, picked up pace and sent him onward. "It took meeting Jessie to unfuck everything my head… but now the path's clear. I want Tiffany. A life together with somebody special? I can get behind that."

Past the endless slew of people he went – onward in his quest to reach the university campus. He couldn't leave his lady, the truest love of his life waiting. "I'm done chasing after the past. I'm done living in mom's shadow. I'm my own guy and I'm forging my future…. Like Sinatra said… _I did it my way."_

No more regrets from here on out: the course was set.

However, Mikey had to pause for a moment, silently looking back. His fingers traced around the edge of his lips. They curved into a smile. "Thanks for the kiss, Kyu."

* * *

Tiffany smiled bright – brave and contended as she sprawled atop her man. She had him right where she wanted him. No more waiting. Their weeks apart had only made the desire within her frantically beating heart more powerful.

"Someone's coming on a little strong tonight…" Mikey reached out – the softness of his fingers stroking her face. His voice was enchanting, almost hypnotic as it resonated within the confines of her small abode.

"Yeah, well," she blushed hard, releasing him from the hold of her legs, "Every time we're alone you always end up so- I can't explain it. It's my turn to take the lead…. Just… be gentle, alright? I've… never done this before."

His hand crept across her back – sliding beneath the fabric of her school shirt. Such a sensation, the overwhelming sensuality of his fingertips caressing her bare skin was almost overwhelming. She brought her own fingers to fumble weakly with the buttons of her top – shuddery and slow in their movement.

Try as she might, there was no way to suppress the soft, giggling rasps as his touch brought her closer and closer to total bliss. Despite her best efforts, she was losing their playful little game. It was both so wonderful and frustrating at the same time.

"No fair," she puffed out her cheeks, halfway melted by her overloading senses. "You're such a tease, darn it."

"Not like you're complaining or anything…."

His offhand slithered away from its place at her thigh, sliding upward to help release the buttons she struggled so feverishly against. One by one, as if guided by magic, they popped, leaving the pristine piece of clothing open, and her simple white bra on show for a pair of mesmerising green eyes.

"I suppose I should take this off, hmm?"

Winking, Tiffany moved quick, sending her shirt sailing into the corner of the room. No matter what - she had to gain a little ground. Freed from one of the few garments of clothing, she shuffled away – just far enough to be free from the wonderful harassment of Mike's wandering hands.

Next came the finale. She'd have him hot under the collar if it was the last thing she did. "Now be good, okay? No need to rush things too much…"

She watched contentedly as Mike nodded in approval. Slowly but surely, she brought her fingertips around the edges of her left side legging. In a careful, overly sensualized affair, she rolled it downward; watching through blurry, gleefully passionate eyes as Mikey squirmed, pawing at the fabric of his shirt collar.

With a sweet, tormenting giggle, she tossed the article of clothing away, stretching out her long, smooth leg. "Getting a little hot over there, honey?"

"Be patient," she gave a waggle of the finger, basking in the moment; all too pleased with Mike's flushed cheeks and heavy breathing. "Soon as I take off the other one… I'm all yours…."

He inched forward just the slightest bit, to which she responded quickly, pressing her bare foot against his exposed chest, past his unbuttoned shirt. She tensed her toes, giving him a soft prod, just enough to send him back. "Nope," the blonde answered his invigorated attempt, "Restraint. Makes it more fun this way. But I guess you could take off your shirt for me…. I'd like that."

Much to her approval, like an obedient puppy commanded by his master, Mikey did as instructed, slipping off his garment – tossing it to the corner beside her own.

"Better?"

"Muuuuch better." Reward time, a little taste – just enough to stop him from melting. She brought her foot upward, curving it, leaving her dainty toes mere inches away from his lips. "Go on," she encouraged, "I've… always wondered what people get out if it."

He gave a slow nod of the head, his lips flashing the faintest of smiles. "I could give it a shot… since you asked so nicely…."

Compliant yet again, Mike closed the minuscule distance, taking the middle digit into him with careful consideration.

Much to Tiff's surprise, the warmth of his mouth, the rhythm he took, the slow, passionate circles with his tongue, were far more than she'd hoped for. So much so in fact, that a tiny gasp of enjoyment, something she fought hard to supress, squeaked out, bouncing off the walls.

Mike released her – running the edge of his finger across his lips. "What about the other legging? You're killing me here…."

"Hehe," she smirked, "You've earned it…."

The same cycle as before – this time slower and more exotic in its execution. Tiffany slid the fabric of the little white article downward, this time flicking it away with her toes. There she sat in the aftermath, her delicate form squeezed nicely into simple underwear.

"I could sit here all day," she tormented him with a smile, "Or you could over here and we could take off those pants…."

Her lover responded to the message loud and clear – moving across the bed to close distance – his eyes not budging for a second as she sprawled like a sexy fox across the pinkish-white floral print of the sheets.

Upon his arrival, she reached out for the zip – running the palm of her hand across the bulge hidden within the fabric of his clothing. She teased it with a tiny touch, before pulling the small silver zip downward. The color blue greeted her eyes – alongside strained buttons of his boxers.

Another giggle – this one soft and playful. "Oh my," she breathed hard. "I wonder what's waiting in here for me to see."

Her hands crept upward to his hips, bringing his pants downward to his knees. "On your back for a second, okay? I get the feeling if I don't take these off soon you might just die on me…."

Mikey gave a short, grumpy laugh. "Understatement of the fucking year."

With her blond love on his back, it was far easier to slide the bottom half of his clothing further down. Once he lifted from the bed, she tossed his pants aside. At last, the playing field was level.

There they both were – only the barest minimum holding their decency intact. Tiffany wasn't going to let him take the lead. No, this was her night – a night she'd nervously envisioned in her dreams since the earlier years of her teenage desires.

Miss Maye leaned inward – dropping low to pin Mike against the bed. She used her weight to hold him there – pressing her lips against his chest in a slew of soft, fleeting kisses. His every movement was amazing to behold, the way he wriggled and squirmed at her every touch. She continued her movements, forming a pattern as her lips trailed further downward, stopping just above the waistline of his underwear.

Blue eyes widened at the sight of passion and manly integrity – a passion so strong it almost erupted from the 'prison' within which it was contained. Tiff gave a soft sigh of enjoyment, clutching the item between her fingers and rolling it back – allowing the 'beast' within to roam free of its cage.

"Wow," she gasped at the sight, giving a naughty wink to show her satisfaction. "You're much more than I hoped you'd be…."

"How about I," she cupped him between the fingers of her right hand, attentive in the gentle movement of her wrist. She basked in every second, the response of his _power_ as it throbbed within her hold, "…Relieve some of the tension you've got?"

"Ohhhhh fuck…." Mikey cried out, his entire body writhing in response to her touch.

"Hehe," Tiff brought her other hand away as she continued to work, effortlessly popping the clasp at the front of her bra. "You're awfully sticky," she teased, "Been waiting a long time for me?"

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this…."

"Good boy," she exhaled – taking her hand away for the slightest moment – just long enough to ease back her shoulders and allow her bra to fall against the bed.

The cheerleader looked to her hand next – curiosity overtaking her thoughts as the essence of Mike's love lay slick across her fingers. "I wonder," she looked him in the eye with burning passion – before taking one of them into her mouth.

"Mmmmmm." She moaned in pleasant surprise – far less an over exaggeration to please her man. No, the way he tasted – as naughty as it felt in the heat of the moment was more than a enjoyable. Sweet and powerful in equal measure.

"Nice… very nice…."

"In fact." Tiffany couldn't ignore it any longer, the burning intensity searing her blood – the low, dull throbbing of feminine passion, or the beads of lustful sweat slipping down her forehead.

She came in close yet again – sliding down low to sit at eye level with Mike's special place. His approval long since given, she held no hesitation in bringing out her tongue – or the beautifully slow act of sliding it against the passion-dampened expanse before her. More than that, she took him into her, his every powerful groan and jerk of his hips offset by her desires. She wanted even more his taste for herself.

Bobbing her head upward and down, Tiffany continued in a gentle motion, only quickening in pace when Mike's clammy palms came to rest upon the sides of her head, affectionately holding her in place. She chuckled, mouth full and otherwise engaged in her chosen activity.

"T-that's- Ohhhhh myyyyyy God…."

His approval only filled the thumping red organ inside her chest with further glee. She quickened in place, taking even more of him within, struggling happily with the sheer magnitude of all that he was.

The heat within the cheerleader's body felt almost overpowering at this point. She could feel the slickness of her delicate region, the tiny jewel within her budding flower aching so desperately for its first release at the hands of another. She couldn't take it a moment longer!

Gasping for air, she released Mike from her mouth, staring hungrily, lustfully as she reached out, clawing his chest and slamming their lips together in a messy embrace. He didn't dare turn her away, instead going a step further, bringing one of his hands down to sit upon her derriere.

He squeezed her tightly – an uncontrollable moan from the pigtailed beauty overtaking the entirety of their kiss. She cried into him, exploring the expanse of his mouth with an overcharged tongue – her inner tigress ravaging him in a mist of steamy passion.

Tiffany tore herself away with a howl of desire – her eyes of blue shining brighter than a light within the ocean. Whimpering for the touch of her lover, she slumped, breathing hard, taking silent note of a Mike's green gems as they followed her every move.

"Take me... Please? I can't wait anymore…. Mike… I need you."

The pigtailed young lady reached downward – her whole body flooded by a wave of sensual strength and adrenaline. She tore her soaking panties away and tossed them to the floor – turning her back. Exhaling desperately, she crouched on all fours and stuck out her perky behind with an inviting wiggle.

"I'm all yours babe," she moaned in a fractured, heaving delivery, "Don't keep me waiting…."

A smooth, dangerously powerful chuckle slid out of Mikey as she listened to him shuffle closer. His warm breaths tickled her back – and the heat of his touch against her glistening legs held an intoxicating weight.

Something new – a sensation she'd never experienced before, brought her shuddering body to the brink. She could feel him, the tip of his manly strength teasing against the opening of her blossoming flower. Every movement he made brought jolts of electricity down the length of her spine.

"Do it," she pleaded, backing into him in a single sharp jerk of the hips.

The world went white – a sharp pain shaking Tiffany's existence to the core. Her fingers clawed against the bedsheets as she shivered hard – her petite form quaking.

"Easy," Mike groaned hard, careful in his every tiny motion. "You'll hurt y- Jeeeeeesus…. Y- you're tight."

The walls began crumbling down in a single bittersweet instant. Beyond the initial discomfort Tiffany exhaled, taking note of the new _presence_ within. She could feel him – Mikey in all of his beauty, squeezed inside her, every thumping beat of his heart conjoined with her own.

Wincing softly, Tiffany eased into him a second time – marvelling in quiet, glutinous beauty at the overwhelming sensation of being _whole._ She yelped softly, wiggling her hips and slipping further back to invite the man of her desires into the core of her soul.

"It's okay," she hoped to quiet his hesitation with a gentle word of assurance. "Go ahead…. I want you to. Mike? It's fine."

His stillness left a pang of fearfulness inside. Had she scared him with her sudden response? She hoped not!

"Okay," he finally answered, bringing one of his hands to rest upon her behind, squeezing ever so slightly. "Let me know if it's too much, alright? Don't wanna hurt you…"

"I'll be fine," the cheerleader gave further assurance – squeezing tight around him in signalling of both her approval and desire.

"I want to hear you say it…. Tell me you love me."

Winters pushed deeper within – bringing down the last of her defences. The sharpness was gone, replaced with a wave of overwhelming bliss the likes of which she'd never felt before. She couldn't get over it – the feeling of completeness. She loved the resonating strength of his heartbeat inside!

"I love you, Tiffany Maye. I love you with everything I've got."

"Good," she giggled – content to let the beauty of the moment carry her away – the storm clouds of her troubled past little more than distant memories for the first time in so long.

"I love you too, Mike. I won't let anything tear us apart. You make me so happy."

No – nothing would break what they had now. It'd taken so long to find the perfect guy – but this blond musician was proof of something. Finding that special somebody wasn't some unattainable dream. It could happen. It was real. There was such a thing as happiness for those who deserved it.

Indeed – this moment, forever frozen in time, felt like a dream come true.

**To be continued….**


	11. Blondie - Part XI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since the last Relationship Problems update. Let's talk for a moment, shall we? This chapter right here was an interesting one for me. I wanted to take it in two different directions, but in the end, what I chose here ultimately won out. Please enjoy the read and stick around for the authors notes at the end. I'd like to share my thoughts in more detail.
> 
> Oh, and one last thing before we begin. There's a new poll on my main profile. Would you like to see more of Jessie in my stories? Cast your vote and let me know!

There were some things beyond doubt – certain feelings that were too hard to deny. Above all else, one thing held priority. The road seldom travelled sometimes held the most unexpected rewards. That had become all too clear in the recent months, especially after going through so many hardships. It finally felt as though a sense of closure waited on the horizon.

Today was a new day – one that Mike planned to use to its fullest. Fingers outstretched, he caressed the side of Tiffany's cheek, watching her, bare and beautiful as she wriggled beneath the thin sheets. Her eyes sparkled like rare gemstones, accompanying her soft, compassionate smile.

"Hey you," she giggled, linking her arm around the singer's bicep, laying headlong across his toned chest. "Last night was… amazing… but for someone with such a lovely voice… you snore like a bear."

Talk about surprising – Mikey couldn't help but chuckle at that – focused on the delicate whitish-grey paintwork of the bedroom ceiling. "First time anyone's ever said something like that to be before. I don't snore… not that I know of anyway."

"You so totally do… but I don't mind or anything. I've really enjoyed staying over so much these past couple of weeks."

Again with the teasing – it brought a warm glow to the heart. The thought of waking up to this every morning felt nice, appealing to say the very least. Leaning in, Mike gave a gentle peck on the lips, brushing a strand of lone blonde hair aside to appreciate the features of his love to their fullest.

"Wait a minute." A stray thought hit home – causing him to turn in search for the clock on the back wall. "It's ten in the morning…. Damn…. I'm sorry sweetheart… but I really need to get up. I've got things to do."

"Awwww."

Here Miss Maye was again, bringing on the pouty face like a lost puppy – those quivering blue eyes were so disarming it was dangerous. "Please stay in bed a little longer," she whined lovingly, "I don't have classes this morning… and the football game's not until six tonight. I know! Why don't we cuddle up and watch a DVD before you go?"

Unfortunately, that was exactly why he had to leave – cutesy face or not. "I'm afraid I can't. I've got to meet the guys… last minute practice before the show tonight. I mean, damn…. There's gonna be a few thousand football fans watching us out there."

Tiffany's expression turned – becoming just the slightest bit more serious. "You're meeting my mom after the game tonight, too. You haven't forgotten, have you? Nutmeg Cafe."

No – he hadn't, but at the same time she hadn't mentioned the venue until now. "We're meeting her for coffee? We're not going back to your place or something?"

A shake of the head, simple yet abrupt, put his mind to rest. "No… I decided to make it somewhere a little less personal."

She was worried; it didn't take the world's brightest man in the world to figure that out. He'd known her long enough to pick up on a few of her quirks. The way she frowned like that – and the nervous twiddling of the fingers.

"It'll all go down just fine." Taking Tiffany into his arms, Mike treasured her warmth, placing the lightest of kisses upon her forehead. Not breaking eye contact with her for a second, he brought a hand downward, slipping it around her slender waist.

"If you're concerned I'll leave the wrong kind of impression then don't be…. I'll be on my best behaviour. We're talking one-hundred percent gentleman."

Though small, at least his sentiment was enough to clear away the gloomy clouds hanging over their tender moment.

"I know you'll be fine, Mikey. Honestly? It's her I'm worried about. Last time I went back home she said a few weird things… upset me a little."

Remaining quiet, eyes thoughtful and caring, the musician sat back. "Go on. If you need to vent I'm right here."

"Well," at first Tiffany was a little too quiet, twiddling her thumbs until she finally plugged back in – looking to be lost in thought. "She kept talking about this guy she met a little while ago…. It's not that I'm surprised or anything… but it's the way she went into detail about it all."

"So apparently he was some young musician… about the same age as me. She met him a while back and they went out drinking together. Smooth talker, real soft and caring…. Being gross as usual, she told me about how good he was in bed… and since then it's been the same thing. She thinks I need a guy like that… somebody that'll give me a good time…."

Squeezing Mike tightly, letting out a sharp, annoyed sigh, the cheerleader rolled her eyes. "That's so typical… I'm not like her at all. Sex doesn't solve problems…. Heck… if her lifestyle's anything to go by, I can tell you now… it makes things worse."

"I'm happy with the person I have," Tiffany clarified, much to Mike's quiet relief. "I don't need her telling me what I should and shouldn't be doing. What's worse… she told me this poor guy's down on his luck. He doesn't know what he's getting himself into."

Content to let the all too similar parallels of his own life rest easy, Winters ran through the possibilities in his head. A little optimism would do nicely here. If anything, his recent run of good luck was proof enough that being hopeful paid off sometimes.

"A musician? Here's hoping it's not someone I've met in the the local club scene…. Anyhow, you know her best… Maybe there's a reason for it. Could she care about him? You'd be surprised how crazy unconventional love is these days."

"Love? Huh…"

A dark frown overtook the pigtailed beauty's features, bringing back the tension all over again. "You really think so? I mean… there's one thing she told me time and again. It's stuck with me ever since I was little…."

The hostility easing, Mike could do little more than watch as his lovely lady seemed to drift back, lost again in thought. The more they talked about things like this, the clearer it became just how deep the conflicted waters ran between Miss Maye and her mysterious mother figure.

"She always said that nobody tries to understand her – and they never did when she was younger, either. No one knows how hard it was when I was living at home... watching her tear up drinking a martini after she got home from work. Dang… I tried to give her time Mikey, especially when I was in sophomore year, really I did… but all the things she's-"

Oh no – tears – tiny watery crystals leaking from Tiffany's eyes. Moving fast, Mikey inched closer to wipe them away with the edge of his finger, holding her tighter to show his support. He couldn't have her crying right now.

"If this is too much for you then stop, don't get yourself upset. We've both got a busy day ahead, you with the cheer squad and me with the band…. The last thing you need is to start feeling torn up."

"No," her insistence, despite being overwhelmed, shone through. "It's important. Especially since you'll see her for yourself today."

Resting against Mike's shoulder, the delicate flower continued – eyes awash with as much compassion as sadness.

"She's a thirty-six year old woman that acts like she's eighteen… and the bad kind of eighteen at that. Heck, Audrey's met her and she thinks she's great… but if that's really the reason she acts this way… because she feels misunderstood…. I dunno…"

There was only one thing for it – especially after seeing Tiffany so upset. Determined to turn things around, Mikey gave her a short peck on the cheek. "Hold onto me, okay?"

A loud squeal bounced off the bedroom walls as he brought two strong arms around her, scooping her up light as a feather. Wide-eyed protest and shocked wriggling were what the singer was rewarded with as he got up, and made for the bedroom door.

"W- What's the big idea?" Tiffany called out, stuck in an amusing midpoint between shock and red-faced chuckles. "Put me down, silly... You must think I'm heavy…."

"The big idea? Well, honey… I can't stand seeing you looking so effing sad… Allow me to escort you to the couch and we'll watch a movie like you wanted… You can choose whatever you like."

"HEY!" Again, there came a surprised squeak, her body tensing in playful resistance. "Get your hand away from there, mister! If I didn't know any better I'd say you were using this as an excuse to touch me up."

Yet it didn't seem as though she was too unhappy about it - her spacey blue eyes and glowing red cheeks certainly showed a dash of enthusiasm.

Not only that, but she'd left herself open to be caught in his charming web. "Well…. If I remember rightly, miss… last night it was _you_ making grabby hands at _me_ while I was trying to watch the music channel. Setting a bad example, much?"

"No fair," she stuck out her tongue, wiggling free as they sprawled across the couch together, a tangled union clad in little more than the barest of essentials.

"If you hadn't made my lemon drop so strong I would've been just fine…. That and you kept kissing my neck on the commercial break."

Unwrapping himself from their melee of sorts, Mikey enjoyed this little moment before pulling himself up from the couch, making for the small collection of movies sat on the shelf beside the TV.

Pulling out a wide selection, he sat them upon the coffee table, looking onward for approval. "I have action, romance… a couple of sci-fi shorts, live concert DVD's. The next couple of hours of my time belong to you, sweetheart."

"How about…."

Tiffany spread the movie collection across the table, running over the cases with a fingertip. "Marley and Me?"

The thought of such a heavy flick before a long day brought Mikey to a shudder. "You had to pick that one… We don't even have a dog back at my uncle's place and that movie still made everyone cry… even my crazy cousin bawled."

The mention of his family got Tiffany's attention. She leaned closer, curious as she held the dual case between her fingers. "Crazy cousin? What's he like?"

"She," Mikey clarified, a cold chill running down his back at the thought of her pale complexion and abundance of piercings. "And _that_ story right there? It's for another day entirely."

Scooping up his Huniebee from the table brought with it a surprise – Jessie's icon on screen, bright and vibrant with three beating hearts underneath. Thinking about her brought something of a thankful feeling, especially since she was responsible for this wonderful situation.

Taking a quick moment between reaching for the DVD and putting it in the player, Mike worked in overtime to read the message she'd sent. Strange, it looked surprisingly heartfelt, nothing like her usual flirty persona of sorts.

' _Hey sweetie. It's been a long couple of weeks without you… but I've got some good news. I think I might be making progress with my little girl for the first time in so long. I'll tell you all about it after tonight. Hope you have a good weekend. MUAH! Kisses! x x x'  
_

It was nice to know that Jessie was on the right track too. Seemed like despite everything, their rather intimate meetup and all aside, a glimmer of hope was waiting just over the hill for them both.

Setting down his phone on the coffee table, the magical screen powering off, Mike snuggled up with Tiffany and reached for the remote. "Alright. Movie time."

* * *

Lights snapped to life, blazing a wide stage amidst the backdrop of the evening sky. Stars twinkled hopefully, the eyes of thousands of waiting observers fixated upon the centre of a massive stadium. It wasn't just students – people of all ages, shapes, sizes and races filled the stands to bursting, waiting in anticipation – the cheer squad having vacated the field after their halftime routine.

From the corner of his eye, Mike caught sight of Tiffany, blowing a supportive kiss from the side-lines, perched between the eastern stand with a bottle of water.

"Good luck." The words of strength she sent his way, silent yet precious even over the noise, meant so much.

This was the band's largest crowd yet – far beyond the usual couple of hundred at Lusties - or even their big breakout performance at the Overlook across town. This was their step into the big leagues. Local news and camera crews were here for goodness sakes! The Glenberry Stadium in all of its glory was more than half full.

Breathing deep – dressed to the nines with flawlessly gelled hair, a snappy shirt and pressed smart-casual pants, Winters stepped forward, backed by the band's twin guitarists stood at either side, grabbing for the microphone.

"Good evening Glenberry! The team's playing great tonight, am I right?"

A roar swept across the whole of the venue, earth-shattering and passionate in its support – fans stood from their seats with foam gloves, holding beers and blurring air horns.

Such a powerful showing of emotion was enough to bring a surge of adrenaline. Mikey couldn't surpress it – and neither did he want to. A smile curved hips lips upward – and with the suaveness of a tiger, he signalled the stage hand with a snap of the fingers.

"Yeah! That's it! Show your support for the team!"

Another rapturous cheer spilled over – this one even more impressive than the first. To have the crowd under command like this felt amazing. Alive and burning bright, Mikey brought the microphone close to his lips, a perfectly timed chuckle slipping free as the backing track to their first song came to life in a wave of smooth sound.

The stagehands had gotten everything right so far, it seemed – despite their regular sound guy being absent tonight. It was a shame, not having Jamie around and all, but they'd cope.

Casting the thought aside, bathed in the heat of stage lights, the musician came to life in a swirling, almighty mist of talented blue. "This song's called Hero. It's from our first self-titled EP. You guys ever been in love before? It's a great feeling! This one's about a guy that dreams of finding that special someone. Sing along with me, okay?"

Guitars buzzed to life in a dizzying opening arrangement – signalling that it was time for the leading man to begin.

"Showtime…."

Popping the buttons of his shirt – chest on show for the world to see, Mike let the rhythm take him away.

" _Have you ever wondered why… your life becomes a fight? Trapped by your own ambitions, struggling to find the light. Do we need a beacon in the Dark? Warmth and comfort in the light."_

Spotlights twisted and blurred into shapes, smoke billowing from the stage – timed to add flare to the performance.

" _No I don't wanna be a hero! I don't wanna save the world. I just wanna win the girl. Bring me to life with your smile. Those blue sparkles in your eyes. I just want to make you mine."_

A very special song for a very special woman – and words couldn't describe how much it meant that she was listening right now. Overloaded, invisible blue snapping and crackling from his body like a storm – Mister Winters kept on rolling with it.

" _I felt lost for so very long – staring at the setting sunlight – feeling like I don't belong. Wishing for a new tomorrow while I was chasing empty shadows… dreaming of an angel's song."_

Shredding acoustics and thumping bass shook the earth to its core, every camera fixated squarely upon the stage – and all the while, the band threw their passions on the line, giving it all, sweat, tears, body and soul in the hope of delivering an unforgettable experience.

A little audience participation certainly wouldn't hurt, either. Stepping to the front of the stage, Mike threw his arms out wide in a grandiose gesture. "Sing it with me, kay guys?"

" _No I don't wanna be a hero! I don't wanna save the world. I just wanna win the girl. Bring me to life with your smile. Those blue sparkles in your eyes. I just want to make you mine."_

Every line bounced back in an echo, The audience were right there with him - dangling on a thread in waiting for the every word of the alluring showman.

This was it – no doubt to be the final night spent as the protégé of Kyu Sugardust. With a beautiful girl at his side and his name up on lights, there was no need to remain under the tutorage of his fairy companion. Every word uttered, every song sung, only served to lift what remained of his burdens away. One by one, his invisible chains fell away, allowing the man of pride and devilish charm to cast his eyes onward with hopefullness.

How many people were here for the football game? How many were here for the sole reason of seeing the halftime show? How many more fans would Third Betrayal have by the end of this evening? There were so many wonderful questions to answer.

As the first song faded out, Mike breathed in with vigor, bringing the mic away while one of the stagehands brought him a bottle of water. Quenched by the cooling liquid, he scanned the onlookers for his leading lady.

There she was – Miss Maye in all of her splendor – watching alongside the rest of her squad, waving and cheering in wholehearted dedication.

Smiling bright, the lady-killer made his move, bringing the microphone against his lips. "This one's dedicated to you, Tiffany…."

* * *

End of the football game – looking to his silvery watch, Mike let out an exhausted sigh, flopping against an empty seat in one of the furthest western stands. Breathing deep, taking measure of his flustered heartbeat, the vocalist looked to the cloudless sky with a smile.

"No sign of Tiffany just yet… I wonder when she'll-"

Footsteps, soft and paced, came in from the left. Too tired to sit upright, there was little he could do but take note of whoever was coming with a wave of the hand. "Worn out," he exhaled, "Coming down off the adrenaline…. Between singing and the other half of the game… it's been one hell of a night."

"Hey you!"

Two words – uttered almost musically from a voice he'd come to know and love. Invigorated all over again, wanting to at least make a good impression, Mike flew out of his seat in a heartbeat.

"Tiffany! There you are. I figured I'd lost you somewhere."

"Nope," the cheerleader beamed, freshly dressed in her chequered shirt and shorts ensemble, complete with those nice boots. "But we're gonna have to hurry. Mom's driving into town in an hour and my friend Nikki pulled me a favour. She's keeping Nutmeg open late so we can go meet her there."

"Alrighty." Linking arms – Mike looked to the exit across the way. "If I call us a cab now we should be able to make it in time."

"I'm counting on you, handsome."

* * *

Nutmeg – the last time in here brought with it a few less than comfortable memories, the shutters slamming down like that was the stuff of nightmares. Regardless, tonight wasn't about that, it was about standing beside the woman he loved, and come hell or high water, Mikey would do just that.

The clattering of porcelain against the little table of corner booth snapped him from his thoughts. Blue eyes, blue hair and a long turtleneck entered his sights – a girl for all intents and purposes that he'd never seen before.

"Here you two go. Coffee and bagels."

Tiffany reached for her wallet, looking to the shy, bespectacled girl with thanks. "How much do I owe you, Ann-Marie? You have no idea how awesome you are, for doing this for me."

"Eh," the barista shrugged – disinterested in her friend's offering. "Forget about it. These are on me. Best of luck though. Just call me over if you need something… no hurry. My new game can wait a few."

"Nikki, I mean it," Tiffany sprang out from her seat, almost suffocating this Ann-Marie girl against her chest. "I totally owe you for this. Anything you want… It doesn't matter what."

A sharp ring of the bell acted as surprise enough for Tiffany's inmate of sorts to escape from the prison of endowment. Shuffling back on her sneakers, she blushed hard, looking across the table. "Call me one day in the week and we'll figure something out. For now… it's quite alright."

Heeled shoes clacked across the hardwood as Nikki vanished from sight – Mikey too nervous to swivel his gaze away from Tiffany. Was this the near legendary matriarch who he'd been told so much about?

"Mom." Well, that tidied things away nice and neatly. "We're over here."

The heels came to a stop, and with them Mikey felt a hand upon his shoulder. _"My my… Tiffany Michelle Maye."_

That voice – oh dear god. No, it couldn't be. Pulling tight, frozen to the spot, Mike remained a gargoyle in his seat, eyes so horribly wide that no semblance of game face could hide his utter dismay.

' _Dear fucking God… No… No way….'_

The all too familiar voice blew away on the wind, leaving the blond musician frozen and lifeless – all he could do was stare as the veil lifted, a pair of deepest ocean eyes bringing a tidal wave to crash over his defences.

What made it oh so sickeningly worse was the fact that Tiffany was smiling – or forcing a smile. It didn't matter which. The fact of its happening was beyond words.

Her reaching out and touching his hand did almost nothing, either. "Let me introduce you guys. Mom, this is Mike… and Mikey… this is my mother, Jessica."

' _This is my mother, Jessica.'_

Like a damming chorus those five words played over and over, swooshing around inside until they crashed and burned in a nauseating heap.

As the elder Maye flipped back her peroxide bangs, sitting as she tucked away her purse and looked onward – Mike could only feel terror as he tried to describe her expression.

Warm and yet oddly removed – distant, but not so far as to say disinterested. Subconsciously, sickness rising in his tummy, his eyes darted from left to right, following her every move, a bead of icy sweat dripping from his forehead in an attempt to reduce his burning heat.

"You certainly did well for yourself, honey... He's handsome..."

Every time she spoke, it only made things worse. Slow and robotic, Mike panned down – trembling as the Jessie reached for his hand, holding it for just the faintest moment before backing away.

"Nice to meet you, cutie. It's Jessie to you…."

Nice to meet him? It was nice to meet him?! What in the holy hell was this? What was she doing? She was playing along with this?

Swirling round and around in a gut wrenching circle, Mikey reached into his pocket for the Huniebee, squeezing it under the seclusion of the table between sweaty palms.

"N-nice to meet you… J-Jessie…."

"The pleasure's all mine."

"Miiiike," distorted didn't even begin to describe Tiffany's voice as it reached his ears. "Sweetie you're not looking so good…. Is everything okay? You're not sick are you?"

This was the Audrey situation multiplied tenfold.

Jessie pulled her gaze away – looking to her daughter with a concern. "Honey… if he's not feeling very well we can always reschedule…. I can free up Wednesday next week if you want."

There was no way to describe the strangely cool, cautious expression overtaking Tiffany's face. Her eyes batted between her mother and back again, the whole scene looking and feeling like something out of a grainy abstract film screen.

"That," she paused, deadly silent for a moment, "That might be a good idea…."

"Mikey," a snap from Tiffany's fingers didn't quite bring him around. "You're not having another attack are you? Mikey? The doors aren't locked…"

"I'm-"

He had to say something, had to keep this situation from getting too far out of hand. "I'm fine…."

"No you're not." Never before had he heard his beloved cheerleader so concerned, so whole-hearted and compassionate. "You're paler than a sheet. Yeah…. Let me call you a cab. We're taking you home."

The fog in his vision finally clearing, at least enough to make things out with a little clarity, Mikey watched as Tiffany reached toward the pocket of her shorts, cursing quietly under her breath. "Darn it. I left my phone in the pocket of my cheer uniform… it's zipped up in my gym bag."

Attention turned to Jessie; she gave a pleading, worried glint of the eyes. "Mom…. Can I borrow yours? Just so I can call for someone to come pick us up?"

All too kind, looking over to Mike in deep thought and then back again, she agreed, dipping into her purse and fishing around – plucking out a shiny, ultra-thin smartphone with a dark screen. "Here you are hon. Cab number's at the bottom of the directory, right next to Frank the Wank."

Rolling her eyes, Tiffany brought the phone close, flicking the screen to life with her finger and scrolling down. "Thanks a bunch. Won't take me a s-"

It was right then and there that the pigtailed beauty stalled – her dainty fingers squeezing tight around the edges of the phone. Eyes wide, pupils as pinpricks, her hands came down against the table, sliding the piece of tech in front of her mother's view.

"Why's Mike's number on your phone?"

Ice – there was no other way to describe how viciously hateful a tone she held.

Slapping her palms against the mahogany, Tiffany narrowed her stare – jabbing her finger against the screen. "Well?"

Music sounded – muffled by the confines of Mike's lap. The vibration crawled down his leg, and without a word to say, he reached upward and brought his Huniebee into sight – placing it down beside Jessie's model in utter silence.

All he could do was look onward – speechless as the cougar's phone dialled and his rang out loudly in buttery vocals. Tiffany refused to relent, her blue icicles punching into the two with unforgiving bitterness.

"Oh god… You have GOT TO BE KIDDING!"

Tiffany shot out of her seat, arms hugged around her chest as she gave full focus to her mother – her vocal chords cracking like glass. "A musician you met in bar? A MUSICIAN! Please tell me this isn't what it looks like."

"Honey…. Listen to me…. It's not as easy-"

Jessie found her hand slapped away so quickly it was almost a blur. Stared into a corner, even the older woman found herself silenced.

"You did, didn't you? I'm not nine anymore Jessica…. You can't brush things under the rug like before."

It didn't take long for Mike to realize Tiffany's glare had switched targets. He could feel her eyes pinning him down, holding him to the seat so that there was no escape. Clawing back his phone, he dared to walk into no man's land, meeting her as best he could.

"I didn't know…. I swear Tiffany I didn't know…. I needed cl-"

"YOU DIDN'T KNOW?! What kind of- My own m- My own mother!"

The scene had drawn another onlooker – Nikki poked her head around the corner, slowly and carefully tottering over. "Is everything oka-"

"I- I have to go…."

Edging away, Tiffany reached for her gym bag, slinging it for her shoulder. Before leaving however, she stopped deadly still, slamming her hands against the table - beaming with contempt for Jessica.

"You wonder why I barely come home anymore? This is why! You sink your claws into everything I care about…. It's always been the same…. I can't be happy without you wrecking it! YOU'RE SELFISH!"

She doubled down hard, presenting Mike with one final glance – this one very different from the one she'd given to the matriarch – tears were welling, sliding down her face and pattering against the table top.

"And then there's you…. I don't know what's worse, Mike Winters. The fact that you're cheating on me… after I gave you everything… or me for believing in you all this time…."

Turning her back – a tiny, pained yelp escaping – shoulders stiffened, Jessie's daughter threw her arms around a stunned Nikki, sobbing uncontrollably into her shoulder.

"I'm staying at your place tonight, kay?"

Ann-Marie could do little more than nod, squeezing Tiffany tight like a plush doll. "Whatever you need. My door's always open to you…."

Mike had never seen Tiffany run so fast – she was halfway across the room in a heartbeat, practically clawing at the door for escape. Damn near yanking it off its hinges, she paused in the open doorway, almost staring through the musician.

" _How could you? You've made me feel so… dirty…."_

Just like that, she was gone – crossing the street and out of sight before he could even blink.

A disgusting, clammy silence hung over the room – Mike looked to Jessie and she looked back, but the air between them was different, apprehensive, careful.

It was slow, but after what seemed like forever, the older woman brought her hand across the table – the soft and motherly expression he'd come to know her for creeping back from the ether.

"Hon…. Talk to me…"

Not a very good idea. Snatching away his Huniebee, Mike slid out from the booth, buttoning his shirt and backing away. He had to get out of here – be anywhere but this forsaken coffee shop.

"I'm going…. Sorry Jess… There's nothing to say..."

Punching his thumbs against the screen, he hovered over the dial icon – the image of a green phone that would act as his savior. Right now, there was only one person who could rescue him from this train wreck.

"Hey playa!"

Kyu Sugardust – his guardian, protector, friend, and damned near the only person he had left at this point. As always, she waited, eager and cheerful. The feeling of comfort her sweet, teasing flare brought to his ears was beyond words.

Nothing on earth would fix what was broken here tonight. Reaching for the handle of the door, Winters turned back on his heels, taking one last look toward Jessie. She hadn't moved from the spot, her usually passionate sapphires this time looking so empty.

"Yo. Mike! You there, dude?"

Brought back to the conversation at hand, the singer tore himself away and departed, stepping out into the cool evening air. "Hey Kyu…. Listen…. You mentioned going to Sky Garden?"

"HELL YEAH! You still up for it?"

Well that was at least a ten on the cheerful scale.

Up for it? Was he still up for it, after everything? Lips curving into a tiny, agonizing smile, Mikey showed his approval in a stiff grunt.

"Definately. Whenever you're ready. Take me to the best bar you know… one with good music. I need the stiffest fucking drink in the world."

"Something happen there, oh great one? You're sounding a little down in the dumps."

How did she know? Could love fairies sense emotions or some crazy shit like that? Breathing deep, eyes dead ahead as he traversed the sidewalk, Mike continued on his way home. He didn't have the strength to tell this story, but he'd at least give Miss Sugardust some credit for her incredible intuition.

"All I'll say is you were right... about everything."

"Never doubt a girl in the love business," she spoke with pride – the audible flutter of her wings coming over the line. "I kept telling you, dude."

"Yeah you did." Turning the corner, passing Lusties Nightclub with a hollow laugh, he paused in thought, looking at the sheer amount of people wanting to get inside. Damn, some of the people from the football game crowd were here.

"You knew all along, didn't you? About Tiffany and Jessie. You were trying to warn me. All that crap about happy endings and being careful what I wished for."

"Yeah… I was."

Her answer only brought more questions. "If that's the case then why didn't you tell me flat out instead of being all flowery?"

An abrupt pause hung over the line – a long, deep sigh following as Kyu seemed to bring the phone close again. "I'll see you when you get back, alright? Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Talk about avoiding the question. "C'mon… there's got to be a rea-"

The line went dead.

Shaking his head, Mikey looked up to the clear, starry sky, scoffing with bitterness. "Great… just great."

**To be continued….**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it. Between you and me, there are plenty of times while writing this chapter when I was going to end up having Mike end up falling into Jessie's web again, but in the end, I decided against it. That doesn't mean I'm against a little Jessie and Mike in future if people want it, however.
> 
> While I wrote the song lyrics for this chapter myself, the song that gave me inspiration for the football game scene is called La Bruja, and the song that inspired the end of the chapter is called Jackal. Both were written and performed by a metal band called Illumenium.
> 
> As always, if you enjoyed the chapter then you're more than welcome to leave me some feedback. It's been a while since the last update, so I'd really like to hear what you think. Keep on supporting Huniepop and Huniecam Studio, and I'll see you in the next part of Relationship Problems.


	12. Blondie - Part XII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's about time for a another chapter of Relationship Problems. I'm not going to say too much in these opening authors notes, but I'll let you know that we're very close to the end. I know the Blondie route has lasted for quite a while, but what can I say? I like to add a very twists and turns to every story I write.
> 
> Now then, let's get started.

How many times could the heart crack like glass before it shattered? How many misunderstandings and painful encounters did it take before the perceptions became filtered gray? In this particular tension-riddled moment, Mike could barely begin to answer his own questions. The walk home had been a silent one, fraught with a hybrid of personal reflection and doubtful second-guessing.

Things were going too well just yesterday. Now? Here he sat, just across the way from an all too silent, almost nervously withdrawn fairy, decked out in her human attire, wings squeezed into her back, hands held together in a tight grip.

Waiting for what felt like the return of Sinatra or even greater, his own dearly departed mother from the beyond, the singer forced the uneasy jitter in his stomach further and further down, rattling the ice in his glass of deep, golden firewater.

"I get this feeling you knew all along, didn't you?"

A question, so deep and painful that it stung. In fact, 'stung' felt like putting it mildly when compared to the true gravity of the happenings just a few short hours ago. Keeping a cool distance, Mike continued to wait in the hopes that his fairy, the woman he'd put so much trust into, would simply come out and say it.

The air held a weight to it, thick and stifling enough to put strain on the lungs. Tick tock, the small circular clock kept up its pace, the only sound in this truly awful inquiry of sorts. Why wouldn't Kyu say anything? Why couldn't she speak and get it over with? Did she have to sit there, so empty and silent?

' _Kyu… For the love of God… say something… anything…. I can't just sit here and watch you when you're so ghostly and still. I can barely breathe here, dammit.'_

Stiffly, she dragged herself upright from the couch, looking him in the eyes with those heavy, washed out pink sparkles. Seeing them so devoid, so glassy, hurt beyond words.

"I was hoping you'd work it all out on your own before it came to this, but yeah, course I knew, playa. What kind of love fairy would I be if I didn't have all my facts straight?"

At last – an answer. It was too late for it to be of much use, but it was an answer to the most dreaded of his fears. With one question vanquished, there came half a dozen more, each one far heavier, like cinder blocks weighing down the heart.

Opening his shirt with a shaky hand, this time in a desperate attempt to ease the heat, Winters stared onward like the inquisition. Another sip of the golden good stuff, this one surprisingly bitter in light of Kyu's reply, and he leaned into the back of the brown dining chair.

"Then why in the world didn't you tell me? You're supposed have my back for fuck sakes. Not to mention I thought you'd spell such a red light out to me since it puts this whole shebang we've got here at risk."

A deep, agonizing sigh crawled its way out of Kyu as she gave a snap of the fingers, her human disguise vanishing in a pulsing orb of pinkish light and glow-worm sparkles.

There was no mistaking those scrunched features – and she sure hadn't gotten that roll of the eyes past unnoticed either. Where did she get off flaunting that 'I'm so sick of everything' expression when she'd helped cause this whole mess?!

"What?" she spat, surprisingly bitchy in tone compared to the usual. A subtle coldness, like the the chill of early Autumn air, radiated from her slender form in unison with a soft hum of purple energy.

"You expect me to spell it out for you? Seriously? How many girls you screwed around with since I brought you under these glittery little wings of mine? Four, five, six, and you can't even see a red line when it's painted right in front of you…."

Oh no – no fucking way in hell was she going to pin this on him when it was her responsibility as fairy, something she apparently held a lot of pride in, to keep everything neat and tidy. Fighting with everything he could to resist the rising red burn, that brutal annoyance, Mike squeezed his fingers around the glass.

"You don't get to _be_ snarky and stuck up when I'm the one that's in hot water here, Kyu. You don't get how much _I've lost here…."_

The memories of Tiffany's agonizing tears dirtied his thoughts, so pure and terrible in their intensity. He'd never heard a woman cry like that before, never had to experience the pain of seeing a girl, one he cared for so deeply, stare into him with devastation and betrayal.

"Tiffany was my shot… my one chance at finally getting shit together with my love life…. Think back to last year, alright? Kyanna, Suki, and then Audrey…. It was a damn mess... I didn't wanna go back there!"

Kyu scoffed – her aura of purple intensifying to an almost nauseating level. What was with this magical aura? Just looking at her brought a feeling of dread. It was hard to piece into words, but one thing came to mind above all else.

' _That purple mist bad news…. I just looking at it…. Being so close to it like this… feels like everything I've got's gonna slip away….'_

The fairy came to the ground in a sharp buzz of her wings, stepping barefoot with the mother of all scowls, closer and closer. Mere inches away she stopped, reaching out with those long fingers, wrapping them with frightful bitterness across Mike's shoulders.

"All this time and you still don't get it, fuckin idiot. _It's been over a year since I came here and you're missing it by a mile…. Huh, it's almost funny now I think about it."_

It was impossible to move with Kyu's hands upon him. There was something about the purple magic that Winters couldn't place. It froze him solid, robbed the very ability to speak from his mouth. No, worse, it was almost like the very ability to speak, to sing, to show the thing he held dear, became foggy with every chilling second.

"Mike… Homie…. I'll spell it out for you right here and now… and since you're so dense I'll even use baby words. _I like you, bro. I-LIKE-YOU!_ You annoy the hell out of me being this stupid… but you're one-hundred percent on my 'wanna fuck' list. _"_

Releasing him from her grip, the almost spectral purple haze twisted in on itself and exploded outward.

Pink consumed everything – painting Mike's eyesight with an endless sprawl of monochromatic dizziness. His ears rang out, no, screamed out was a more accurate way of putting it, while his head pulsated and throbbed – so hard in fact that beneath his dismayed hearing the dull thump of his heartbeat entered the fray.

It hurt to think, it hurt to breathe – a skull splitting sharpness entombing Mike's skull until eventually, everything felt heavy, too heavy.

' _What the fuck is this? My head… my heartbeat… my whole body…. Feels like every nerve inside me's burning…. Kyu… whatever's happening… make it stop.'_

Overwhelmed in every way possible, his senses slipped away.

" _You said you wanted to go to Sky Garden, right? Well, sorry about the headache, dude, but this is the only way first time round. Now let go… Let everything go and follow the sound of my voice…. We're going to my neck of the woods now…."_

* * *

A cool breeze – the sound of seagulls calling out across the coastline. In a pained, ungodly heave of breath, Winters returned, no warning, no gentle wakeup call, no. If anything he was thrown through a vortex, his eyes barraged by a rainbow of indescribable hues and streamers.

Was what he started at so desperately as his mind fell back into place supposed to be the sky? It looked disjointed, a strange hybrid of blue and magenta, the clouds both fluffy and creepy in equal measure, twisted into unusual faces. Some grinned, others frowned, while some changed shapes by the moment, taking the form of simple four-legged animals the likes of which defied words.

A hand came forward – one that felt so gentle in its intent. Reaching out with shuddering fingers, Mikey took those wiggling digits into his grasp, and the next thing he knew, his body was upright. Wings buzzed past him, and from one side there came a sharp poke.

"Phew… took me a little longer to get you here than I thought."

Using all of the strength he could muster, Mike turned his body, feeling sore and heavy in a way he'd never felt before. A hybrid, a mix, almost as though pain and pleasure smashed together in a singsong of sorts. Snapping from red to blue, hot to cold, all the blond could do was breathe in the crisp, sweet air.

His vision met with the sight of a scantily clad, grinning creature of otherworldly origins. Those crystalline wings, the nightgown attire of all too revealing pink, and that mid-length hair, fluffy as candyfloss.

"Kyu…. What in the world just-"

"Shhhh," the fairy guardian brought his words, so small and fragile, to silence with a finger upon the lips. "Turn around and take a look for yourself, homie…. I promise… you ain't ever gonna see something this awesome twice in one lifetime…."

Guided, turned even by the gentle feeling of Kyu's palms upon his shoulders, Mike found his eyesight redirected, away from what appeared to be aN endless valley, one filled with long, flowing green grass.

His heart filled to overflow – the air stolen from his lungs for what felt like the hundredth time today. Unable to move yet again, this time by a wave spectacular sentiment, something similar to truest childlike awe, Mike stared onward, jaw hanging for lack of a better form of expression.

"Hoooooly shit…. What am I looking at here?"

A sprawling urban metropolis. Layer upon layer of concrete buildings of uneven shapes and sizes held in place upon what seemed to be floating islands. Square bricked reddish buildings, round buildings with uneven roofs signposts that didn't quite match the aesthetic, huts, houses, shacks, even treehouses. A million pairs of beautiful wings zipped and buzzed through the sky, hopping from island to island – the whole scene bathed in the glow of two cool, brightly burning, orange sunsets. It was all too immense, too beautiful, to even begin to comprehend in its grandeur.

All Mike could do was try and take it all in – keep a mental note of some of the more prominent places. A massive, towering behemoth of construction in all pink, and shaped like a castle, built with overly artistic, elegant stonework, dozens upon dozens of stories high, the widows alive with orbs of mystical energy.

A city alive with sound and heart, beyond the likes of any place or community seen before. Music blurred, an endless collection of audible cues and melodies sung and rang and screamed in a thousand different ways – each one distinct and different, overpowering and yet intriguing, too.

Drawn to the centre of it all, his body trembling, as the words still didn't come, Winters steeled himself with a breath, looking to the middle of it all. The largest island, about the only one his human legs could reach without the use wings, sat below all of the others, alive and luminescent A shantytown of crude wooden and stone construction, its circular blue-green cobblestone pathways filled with pedestrian traffic of casually dressed winged-folk, their attire strangely similar to that of everyday people.

Shorts, skimpy tops and miniskirts, guy fairies and girl fairies alike brandishing orange tans, artsy tattoos, piercings and a huge a range of spiky, curly, fuzzy and otherwise crazy hairstyles. It didn't take much to notice the trends in this part of town – bars, clubs, student accommodation, it was so obvious.

" _Welcome to my place, Mike. This little gem right here? It's Sky Garden…. Well, the Lower City, anyway. So, whaddya think?"_

What could he say to describe a place like this? The homeland of the faries, a place literally out of his world. Mike nodded slowly, stiffly, the struggle to keep his astonishment in check becoming more of a challenge with every second he spent fixated.

A whistle of approval was his answer in the end. An open mind was the best way to process everything.

"….I'm impressed. You live in a place like this and you _like_ spending half your time kicking around Glenberry with me?"

Kyu snorted at that. Of course she did, this was no doubt everyday life for her when she wasn't kicking around in the human world. She gave a stunned, wide-eyed Winters a playful slap on the back, moving in to snatch up his hand in a mist of sparkly magenta.

"Every world, human, fairy, dwarf, fuck, even leprechaun has its good parts and bad parts, Mikey boy. So… you said you wanted to hit a bar, right? Well it just so happens that this _gorgeous_ fairy of yours knows the right place. You with me?"

So many questions still unanswered. How did they get here? _Where_ was Sky Garden exactly? Were there rules about bringing humans here? More importantly, why was nobody freaking out at the sight of a human stood dumbfounded on the edge of a cobbled sidewalk?

"Stop freaking out on me, bro," Kyu gave him a shake by the shoulders, and a light smack against the cheek. "Let's go get us some pixie juice and I'll show you what a fairy party's like!"

Yeah, it was definitely a good idea to stop thinking – just switch off the brain and take this one step at a time until things made a fragment of sense.

Nodding again, slow and mechanical, Mike gave a second squeeze of Kyu's hand, his signal of sorts in following her lead. "Alright…. Just… pick somewhere with good drinks and music, okay?"

She chuckled, low and sinister, that naughty, teasing smirk she was known for sending a cool, careful shiver down his back. This fairy held one hell of a soft spot for being quirky, sexy and mischievous – usually all at the same time.

"You got it, oh wonderful playboy of mine. Tell you what…. I was gonna save this one place until last, buuuut, fuck it… let's go there now. It's gonna be _BAUCE_!"

Into the masses of winged pedestrians they went headlong into so many different people. This whole adventure was moving so fast, almost a blur. All Mikey could do was take in the sights and people as they went by. His eyes of course, often found their way toward fairies of the female persuasion. How could they not?

A slender, pale-skinned fairy with fishnets and a dark grey tank top, six peculiarly, almost triangular black wings jutting out of her back. One red eye and one brown remained fixated upon the screen of a phone as she blew a bubble of sparkly multi-coloured gum. The tattoos upon her skin pulsed and glowed, bending into different shapes and sizes – first a tiger, then some kind of weird hybrid of fish monster, then perhaps most surprisingly, into the appearance of a hunky guy fairy, before switching back.

Once she slipped out of sight, giving what looked like the most teasing of winks, a building fell into sight, like an old tavern out of some fantasy setting, roof tiles lopsided and artsy in their placement – a wide sign constructed of these pulsing red slug-like creatures reading the words 'Denny's Tavern'. Interesting, everyone outside this place in particular looked to be so much older, greyed hair, crumpled wings and a strange twisty outlines of magic that held a dizzying strength.

Kyu give him a poke – proof that she wasn't leaving him to disintegrate.

"I saw you perving at the girl with the ink…. Like something you see there, champ?"

"N-no," Mike fumbled, red faced and blindsided. "She's just…. She's was interesting… that's all. Magically changing tattoos? That's a real thing?"

Giving him a yank in the right direction, past an oncoming mob of burly guy fairies in building site gear, Miss Sugardust brought her client across the road, stopping on an uneven sidewalk of shiny blue stones. "Yeaaaaah… sure that's all you were looking at, dude!"

Mike gave a suave flash, taking note of the final rays of fading sunlight, the sky above darkening into a surreal pattern of silhouettes.

"Why'd we stop here, anyway, this the place?"

He sure hoped not. The establishment to at their back didn't look all that impressive. A drinking pit with a cracked front window, bear-gutted bros hooted and cat called at skimpy bimbos with long blond curls buzzing up the walls and stripping down to their panties.

"Nope. This ain't it."

Kyu nudged him in the side – releasing his hand to give an excited little clap. "Okay… check this out! I swear you won't see anything like it back in Glenberry."

A loud, sharp buzzy sound like electricity. On by one a perfect line of gold and blue lights, lamps and lanterns crackled to life, glowing proud and bright in majestic illumination. In a domino effect, they each snapped into existence, one after the other, filling this part of town with a wide, warm shine of power. Mike felt this sensation before - he knew it well. Magic, those lanterns, from paper to wooden, artsy décor to the ones of strangely Asian craft, were all powered by the essence of magical power.

The way they shone, pirouetting into a fusion of soothing oceanic and soothing, regal gold was enough to bring a tear to the eye. True, the inhabitants of town continued about their business, but for the human in the equation there was no other way to express his feelings.

"Holy shit…. A-amazing…."

"Hehe," Kyu grabbed for his hands again, her body throbbing a bright, powerful pink, her eyes twinkling like stars. "I got a better idea…. How about we skip the bar and head straight to my place? Seeing that goofy look on your face… I never would've guessed this'd be so much for you to take in."

The way this cotton candy fairy looked against the backdrop of the streetlights, so outstandingly gorgeous, those locks of pink swaying in the wind as she giggled, naughty and enticing, was too much to handle.

Mike found himself nodding, overwhelming and quiet. His mind was blank. Everything accept this scantily clad woman of fantasy beauty held no meaning.

"That look in your eyes," he breathed hand, struggling to bring air into his tightened lungs. "I know what you're thinking…."

"No you don't," Kyu winked, teasing him with an alluring, playful slap against the cheek. " _If you could read my mind you'd be hard as fuck…."_

Exhaling, letting his thoughts drift away and his feelings take control, Mike reached out Kyu and brought her slender form into his arms, uncaring of the strength of his Talent, or the glowing blue that flooded from his body in a wide arc.

A look out of the corner of his eye gave it all away. Many of the younger lady fairies were stopping still in their tracks, giving curious glances and otherwise enthralled by the sight of this little spectacle.

" _Huh…. Check out that human…. Blue love magic…."_

" _He's not marked yet, either…. Looks like Blondie's fair game…."_

" _Uhhhh… I don't think so. You see the chick he's with, that getup? Love fairy inc…."_

" _One of Venus' girls? Naaaaa… She can't be. She's not wearing Lowtown silk."_

" _Would both of you like, shut up? Does it matter? I don't give a flying fuck as long as I can get a mouthful of sticky human essence….."_

" _Ewwww…. Shut up, Eleena…. That's gross…."_

So many eyes watching him – three girls vocally declaring war over him, and yet none of it mattered. Pulsing, burning, utterly overtaken by the beauty that was Kyu Sugardust, Mike took both of her hands, letting her guide the way, into a dingy, dimly lit back alley, out of sight and out of mind.

There she stopped him with a giggle, fluttering up on her wings, magical dust pooling from her body. "When we get to my place Mikey… I'll explain everything… everything…."

The questions returned, this time louder than ever. What secrets was she hiding in those perfect pink eyes? Why did she wait so long to admit her feelings? Perhaps most importantly, why did she let her client walk this path without stepping in?

Regardless, he shook the thoughts free, at least for the moment. Mike wanted so desperately to lose himself inside this mysterious beauty. Every moment spent in her presence was almost intoxicating, stealing his breath away and bringing his heart to a racing thunder.

"You're serious? You'll tell me everything?" His breathing was ragged, passionate, hungry. "You're not fucking around, are you? Cuz right now I'm so overwh-"

"Hmmm-"

Carried by her wings, Kyu zipped in, closing their gap.

A softness, so heartfelt and passionate stole Mike away, his speech silenced by soft, tingly lips caressing his own. His senses flared up, the entirety of his body burning, cooling, tingling, shivering, all in one amazingly wonderful circle of bliss. He could feel Kyu inside, her energy, her love fairy power across his body, filling every inch.

What else could the singer do but lose himself, surrender to his feelings? His inner light of blue twisted, turning misty as it joined together with passionate pink, the two colours slinking together as snakes to form the perfect dual serpent. Talent and Passion. Human and Fairy. Two halves formed a whole, one so beautifully flawed and still so perfect in its own way.

Moans of longing, passionate and gluttonous slipped free from Mike as sparks snapped and fizzled in his brain, his body shaken to the very edge. Pushing forward, beyond the haze of immense pleasure, be brought one of his hands outward, slapping it against Kyu's behind in a tight, lustful squeeze.

She yelped into him, a sharp sting as her teeth sank into his lips in response, a feeling that was both uncomfortable and amazing at the same time.

Moving against the passionate tide, determined to level this one sided sexual playing field, Winters crept his fingers downward, beneath terse fabric of Kyu's revealing panties. The tips of his digits crawled across the tight, peachy expense of her behind, shivers quaking across her body in response.

So was so perfectly smooth, her skin the kind of thing even the most smoking hot of human girls could only wish to have.

Wiggling her cheeks in seductive reply, she pulled free of their passionate embrace, licking the saliva from her dampened lips, staring the blond in his green eyes with fire.

"….Dude…. I'm so fucking wet…. I want you… right now…."

Giving a ragged, sexy heave for breath, Kyu brought her trembling fingertips against his cheek. Giggling, she nipped at his lips with her teeth again, pulling away with an inch of space to spare.

The way she wobbled with such unease, no doubt half-baked by the passion of it all, was kinda cute. Mike felt himself pulled free from the grubby alley wall, lead with extreme haste out of the thin passageway and into the lights.

"Bingo," Kyu sighed with relief. "There's always one around when you need it."

A tall, multi-story building with shining circular glass windows, shaped perfectly like a heart. Patrons buzzed in and out of its wide alcove like doors, looking so desperate. Halfway up the side of the construction of magic and stone there flickered a pink and green neon sign.

' _The Aphrodite? Well shit… this place looks a lot like a motel.'_

"That look you've got there says it all," his pink haired counterpart cheered. She'd obviously read his facial expression again. "C'mon, playa…. No way am I letting you off the hook after getting me so worked up…."

Mike found himself nudged through the doorway and into a wide velvet carpeted hallway, its high cielings held up with stone pillars, the walls showing such obvious signs of olden design. Greek themed much?

Yet that didn't matter. That burning sensation filled his body again as Kyu reached for his hand and squeezed tight, leaning in to brush her lips against his ear. "Hope you're ready for this… because that D you've got tucked away in those blue boxers of yours? _It's all mine…."_

An idea that, given the emotional thrill ride of the previous day – from heartbreak, to pain, to pleasure and signs of true beauty, sounded like the perfect way to bring things to a close.

She had him ensnared – her very voice held him in place, and there was no denying the smile, the mark of the playboy, which now curved his lips.

" _Hmm… I like the sound of that, Kyu…."_

**To be continued….**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was about time for Kyu to have her moment to shine. Did you enjoy this chapter? Is there anything you'd like to see in future? As always, please feel free to leave me some feedback and share your thoughts. I value the opinions of all my readers.
> 
> As always, keep on supporting Huniepop and Huniecam Studio. I'll see you in the next chapter. Thanks again for your time! I'm grateful for all of the support this story has been given since it began.


	13. Blondie - Part XIII

Why was the urge to give in so very tempting? With every sweet whisper, every sultry, teasing giggle, Mike found his head becoming lighter, his eyes lost in the alluring pink glow of magic. Like the patient of a hypnotist, he remained locked in place, drifting within the endless expense of another, the wall of his willpower crumbling.

Kyu held his hands, pinning the musician down as her wings fluttered in a slow, rhythmic pace far different to that of their usual hurried buzzing. The room behind her was different to say the least - pinkish walls, sparkles, heart-shaped pillows and the most bizarre of magical appliances. Light fixtures held quirky shapes and sizes, while the cheap, tacky paintings upon the wall resembled artsy buildings, castles and the like.

Behind them there buzzed a television set, a round, orb-like screen displaying bespectacled, blue-winged fairy clad in smart casual dress. There she stood, long, wavy black hair pooling down her back as she clutched a mic, eying the huge, strangely human-looking mansion house behind her.

_"In a recent interview Ronnie McWest, AKA McShagger, further expressed his disapproval toward Miss Venus and Love Fairy Inc. With the adult video market further diversifying due to the current generation of human Millennials and the dominance of the internet, it sounds like Mister McWest comes out ahead in popular opinion with young faries living here in the Lower City. This is Annie Starlight for the L.E.N.N, reporting on all things love, lust and magic. Stay tuned for further updates."_

Did any of it matter? No, not right now. Not so long as the fairy caressed Winters' human heart firmly within her lithe, sensual fingers.

"You," Mike rasped, desperate to keep himself afloat amidst the overwhelming surge of wildfire. "You said you'd be straight with me, Kyu…. So… go on…. Tell me…."

Trying his best to focus, the corners of his vision frayed, blurred but not unpleasantly so, he reached out, stroking the side of his fairy guardian's cheek with caring fingertips.

"Jessie… Tiffany… your complaints when I went to see Kyanna…. All of it…. I need to know why..."

Kyu said nothing at first, instead easing the buttons of his shirt open, her lips placing many a kiss upon the bare skin of his chest, trailing upward and down again.

Damn it was overwhelming, especially every touch of her lips brought such softness and comfort. The way Kyu did things was so different, so entirely unlike human girls. Her movements lacked the gentle innocence of Tiffany, or the raw, powerful sexuality of Jessie. Not even the hungry clawing of Audrey or the teasing, friendly allure of Suki held a candle.

' _You're in a category all of you- Ohhh shit… Dammit Kyu…. Y-you're making my head spin….'_

"Because…."

The envoy of love flicked back her strands of wavy pink, eyes dead set upon her human co-pilot. In a soundless snap of the fingers, every magical light in the room fizzled out like the dying of stars in the night sky.

"You're far more talented than you realize, Mike Winters…. There aren't too many guys out there like you, playa. At first, you were just a regular client to me… but after all those crazy things we went through… I can see you're more than that."

There was something within Kyu's eyes, a strength, a twisting, swirling, radiant glint of confidence. Combined with the glowing outline surrounding her petite form as she uttered every word, and Mike found himself convinced.

The way the gorgeous magical girl strung her words together gave way to curiousity. He needed to know exactly what she meant by 'talented' of all things. The words didn't find their way out, though. Anything but, as a long, slender finger made its way upon the lips.

"Just think about it," Kyu whispered softly, relaxing against his shoulder – her teeth nipping against his neck in a pleasantly teasing foray love bites.

" _Kyanna_ … _Suki_ … _Audrey_ … _Tiffany_ … _Jessie_ …. And don't think I didn't find out about the tongue-fucking session with Nora. You keep making out you're just a musician looking for love… but Mistress Kyu says the power of womanizing is strong in this one…."

For a reason beyond words Mike felt the dull throb of guilty pleasure. She had him cornered and there was no way to deny it. Not that he'd outright agree, either. There was a part of him that, despite his emotionally driven, conflicted reasons, enjoyed the romantic touch of each and every one of those gorgeous ladies.

"The way you're staring at me say it all, Mikey. Shining blue with Talent…. Wanna add me to the list there, homie?"

Yet despite the temptation, regardless of the growing, all-powerful desire beneath the surface, the slightest thread of restraint still held the smooth vocalist in place.

"Not just yet..."

Why? His inquiry felt wholly unresolved, almost as though Kyu was trying to dodge the question. What was she hiding?

"I can be patient when I wanna be." A counter to the strong advances – one he followed up with the signature, suave curve of the lips. "For now I'd really like to know what you're getting at here…. I mean, damn…. You didn't bring me to Sky Garden for no reason, did you?"

Kyu let out a giggle, smug and proud as she puffed out her chest, the fabric of her all too revealing attire, nary more than a gown and underwear splashed with magic and glitter, flowing against the gentle breeze of the lopsided bedroom fan on the desk behind them.

"Because there's so many reasons why I want you as my main man…. I didn't feel like telling you in the human world… especially with Venus getting so suspicious… but she'd never expect me to bring you here…."

Well, part of her true reason for doing this was out there, to say the least. Still, the feeling of there being far more to this wouldn't budge. Reaching out and placing his hands upon Kyu's shoulders, Mike simply laid back and let her to climb atop, taking the submissive role.

With an amused scoff, he allowed one of his hands to explore, bringing it to rest upon Kyu's behind with a light slap. She shivered under the suddenness, only doubling down in her efforts.

"So why me? I didn't think you fairies were all that big on commitment…."

Bit by bit he'd ease the truth from her sensual pink lips – even if for once he had to play the role of the enticer and pull a few of Kyu's more, sexually driven strings.

Dragging her nails across his chest in a low, purring admission of hunger, her eyes brightening with lustful intentions, Miss Sugardust kept up the pace.

"Heh… Us fairy gals can be committed when we want to be…. Sure, we might fuck a few different people if we need it badly enough… but that doesn't stop us from having a special someone, too…. We're totally the opposite of you humans…."

Now Mikey really was intrigued. Wriggling from under her, he came free of his shirt and tossed it aside with very little care.

It was about time to take the lead. Bringing himself back into focus, he brought his previously 'wandering' hand back for another round of teasing, this time sliding it beneath the fabric of Kyu's panties.

Her skin was soft beyond words, her feminine assets perfectly firm and sensual.

"So you want me, huh? You had me follow you from day one… because you wanted me all to yourself? I can buy that… but honestly…. Did you stop to think about what I want?"

There was no turning away from that subtle, sour tinge, the darkened feeling of hurt and betrayal that Mike felt at the core. Right now, thankfully, he had the strength to overpower it, allowing his desire to mask the dull ache.

"There's a lot more to it than that… but yeaaaah…. You have so much to give…. Course I want you…"

A spark illuminated the confusion within, cutting through the haze. True his skills for working shit out weren't the best, but Mike saw it now. It was the second time Kyu had let it slip, the mention of him having so much to give without being specific. What did she mean?

"I'm listening…."

With another giggle, this one perhaps the slightest bit snorty and amused, Kyu snapped her fingers. A whirlwind of pink whipped up out of the magical dust as it sprinkled from her digits, enveloping their bodies in a hot, pleasurable aura of sorts.

Overloaded, Mike screwed his eyes shut, a desperate attempt to stop his vision from burning out, and when the pulse of light cleared the truth had been laid bare, literally.

He and Kyu wore nothing in the way of clothes. Tangled up in his limbs, she purred again, a sensual cat on the prowl. Easing down, she brushed her behind against his special place, once, twice, three amazingly enjoyable times before laying; forehead hot and clammy, across his toned chest.

"I'll get right to it, Mikey…. It's been what, a year now? Five different girls… and you're clued up when you feel like it…. It wouldn't take a you a second to reach out and charm any one of them again if you really wanted to…."

A low, rasping breath escaped as Mike felt his manhood graced by the sensation of fingers. Slowly, one painstaking moment at a time, Kyu clasped her hand around him, working in a rhythmic motion as she glowed a warm orange.

The simple act of thinking became strained, laboured under such intense enjoyment, eyes rolling and his body trembling. A woman's _embrace_ had never felt anything close to this before!

With every single upward and downward motion, each flick of the wrist and rub of the thumb against his tip, Winters felt his restraint melting away, the chains that held his rationality wearing away under the sexual sands of time. The only sound to distract from the gluttonous feeling of pleasure was that of his own slickness as his fairy so eagerly worked magic.

Sweat slithered down his forehead and across his chest in streaky lines, every breath fractured and desperate beyond words. Bliss, true animalistic release, free of morals and restraint. It felt so good, so filthy and yet so perfect. With each terse second, the urge built higher and higher, those desperate heaves following suit.

"Nope."

A single agonizing second brought pause to the perfection as Kyu pulled her hand, drenched and sticky with the nectar of pre-orgasmic pleasure, away. There for a moment she paused, gazing at her fingers with a giggle before scooting back.

Through fragmented, foggy eyesight, Mike caught the sight of her sliding those soaking fingers deep inside of her supple womanly opening, stretching herself wide in a sigh of bliss. Deeper and deeper she went, head thrown back in a wild cry of delight before setting them free again, filthy and apparently content.

There came a dull ache of worry at the core of Mike's being. True it was a human reflex, one impossible to shake, but it was still there regardless.

"….Is that a good idea?"

"Ohhh relax…." Kyu closed the gap, armed with that oh so deadly smile of hers. "You forget about these wings on my back for a second there, champ? Not like I'll get knocked up with a human kid… and just so you know…."

Kyu opened her mouth wide for the slightest of moments, tracing her tongue across the edges of her lips before giving an all too arousing wink. "Crazy shit happens when a fairy swallows human jizz…. Works the same way when a guy fairy goes down on a human girl too…."

An interesting snippet of information for sure, but as Mike regained his senses his question also returned, poking somewhere deep at the back of his mind for closure. He understood the needs and desires of his candyfloss lover all too clearly, but her reasons still seemed too vague, too simple.

"For reals though dude…. Can you imagine how much of a lady-killer you'd be if we cranked the dial up to eleven? You're one of those rare clients out there with some serious potential…. You'd become one of the greatest lovers out there, and me? They'd call me one of the best girls in the business… _and I'm already damn good…."_

 _"_ You wanna do _what?"_

Many a reflexive blink followed - Mike's eyes widening as he struggled with the big reveal.

There it was, finally. Kyu's real reason sat there, illuminated even in the darkness of this sleazy, magic-infused love hotel suite. She wanted to turn her him into some kind of celebrity playboy? The ultimate lover of woman? Combine that with his musical career and the cocktail mix was all too perfect in its balance and taste.

"Heh, not if you don't want to, Mikey... but think about it for a second, kay? That'd be sweet!"

An alternate future raced though the thoughts at a million miles a second, towering skyscrapers, screaming fans, playing music on penthouse rooftops. Though it was grayed and distant, a color filter didn't make it any less grand. Kyu Sugardust, creator of the next living legend, the perfect fusion of Ron Jeremy's sexuality and the musical stardom, although tragically short-lived, of Curt Cobain.

Shaky at best under such a mighty truth, a weak smile was the best the blond could give, leaning in to place a genuine, heartfelt kiss upon Kyu's lips. Stuck somewhere between fear and astonishment at the scope of her plan, he threw everything he could into their embrace.

Caught off guard at first, she shuddered, shoulders stiff at first until finally , Kyu eased into his advance, a soft moan escaping as she snaked both her arms around his back, digging claw-like nails into the base of his spine.

With all of his strength, Mikey took control, slowly edging Kyu further across the bed until she fell upon the softness of velvet sheets, gazing down with hunger and longing as their lips parted, still joined by a string of glittering silver saliva.

"So that was what you wanted all along? Well, this tops the list of mind fucks I've dealt with since you arrived…. Me? You really think I have the skills?"

Silence washed over the room, Kyu seeming hesitant as a magical clock etched into the wall, illuminated with fireflies and strange magical technology, called out in a loud, strangely musical melody of humming voices.

"Midnight," she spoke softly, pressing her nails even harder into Mike's back as she sprung in a fizzle of pink sparkles. "And yeah playa… I totally do."

Everything spun in a circle for a moment, time running its course in tow with the clock's sudden ticking. Exhaling, straining his vision to bring the dimly lit surroundings back into focus - the next thing Winters made out was his candyfloss companion, slowly, intently straddling him as his back lay pressed against the sheets.

"You could have any woman you want, or become an irresistible romantic…. Well, after sharpening those Talent skills of yours the sky's the limit… _Trust me, Mikey_ …. That's all I want... to see just how good you can be."

Slinked halfway across his chest, alive with allure and such deep, overpowering temptation, Kyu gave a short wince, pulling the wings into her back. Inch by inch, second by second she crawled further and further upward, wrapping her legs around Winters' back.

A sharp exhale slipped out as his senses flared, brought to a new, throbbing threshold as his manhood was again taken into the hands of the magical vixen. This time she hovered, poised in waiting as she teasingly rubbed him against her lust-dampened flower, waiting with all too hungry eyes for a response.

"Just let go, dude…. Stop overthinking everything and… show me what you can do…. Think you're bauce enough to keep up with a love fairy?"

With her every word Kyu continued in her mind-melting ritual of blissful torment, her fingertips slow and well timed in their every movement, the all too familiar sound of wetness and warmth bouncing off the walls in an almost musical melody.

The way she felt, even in such simple teasing was beyond words.

_'Is that really what I want?'_

Mental images of Tiffany and Jessie sparked across his thoughts, flashbacks of their intimate conquests playing out like faded glimpses across an old, greyed Cineplex screen. The cougar and her daughter. Two women that couldn't be any more different if they tried, and yet each so beautiful in their own different ways.

Letting out a shallow breath, halfway frazzled in a mire of thoughts, feelings and sensations, Mike locked eyes with Kyu, his entire body trembling under her intimate siege.

"Why'd you let it come to this when you know how much Tiffany means to me?"

Kyu winked – those pale cheeks of hers aflame a deepest shade of scarlet.

"Because sometimes a gal knows what she wants. We're all selfish at heart… fairies and humans too… All the girls you screwed around with aren't any better. _You're no better…._ Look at you… begging me for answers with your dick in my hand…. You're an open book with endless possibilities, Mike Winters… and it'd be a shame to waste that, dontcha think?"

She had him trapped now. It was true. He'd selfishly found comfort in Jessie when things were rocky with Tiffany. He'd crossed paths with Tiffany in the first place because Audrey stopped calling for months. An endless cycle of being selfish on all sides, and now here he was, all too willing to ache and swoon over this fairy.

' _Can't believe I didn't see it before… but love's so fucking self-indulgent. We're all looking for the perfect this or ideal that… and we lose sight of what really matters until it's too late. Still…. What does Kyu mean by me being a book with endless possibilities?'_

Each sluggish second made it harder and harder to think, a pink haze descending over every rational thought. Inhaling and exhaling, writhing within a vast starry landscape of desire, Mike finally breathed caved, giving in to the truth as it stared into him in otherworldly form.

"You're right, Kyu... about love being selfish. I didn't see it that way before... or maybe I didn't want to… but you're right."

"Exactly, my derpy blond homie! The heart's a crazy thing and it's impossible to get shit right…"

"That and," Kyu gave a filthy smirk, squeezing him between the slightest bit tighter between the fingers. "It'd be awful nice if you fucked me senseless too, you dig?"

There was no denying how Kyu's help and support had worked wonders over past year in pulling him up from the hopeless mess of a person he once was.

She obviously cared too. Why else would she snatch him up and whisk the two of them away on a retreat to Sky Garden like this? The temptation to follow the rest of the way, to see just how deep the rabbit hole went, increased with every second.

Inching closer, her breaths so warm against his cheek, Mike shivered. "I'm not saying give up on all those dreams of yours if you don't want to. Just take my hand… stick with me for a while… and we'll figure shit out together. C'mon... It'll be fun..."

A snap of the fingers, a sprinkle of fairy dust, and Kyu's hair shone golden blond, her eyes flashing through a rainbow of colors until they settled as a deep, ocean blue. " _This better for you, Tiger? Blondes are your jam, right?_ "

There came a dull thump within Mike's chest, his heart quickening. Swayed by words, passions and sentiment alike, he gave a weak smile. The playboy was loose, a compassionate chuckle sliding out in a musical melody.

"I've always wondered it'd be like with a fairy…. How about you show me?"

With permission granted, Kyu gradually eased herself down, a deep, dirty moan clawing its way out of her throat as inch by inch, she took everything Mike had within herself. There she stayed for many a moment, breaths short and desperate as she gripped against his chest for support, holding herself upright in a dominant position.

Warmth swam within the core of Mike's senses, his manly weapon gripped tight, squeezed in a vice. The very sensation, so perfectly hot, surged through his every nerve beyond anything he'd experienced before! Was that Kyu's heartbeat he could feel, joining together with his own?

"Better," Kyu rasped, exhaling hard in a red faced flurry, "Better take this slow to start, Tiger. You're a tight fit… _real fucking thick_ …."

Pink swam across the room, filling every single corner with magic light as Kyu made her first move, bucking her hips in a slow, rhythmic motion, the bed squeaking beneath them as her pace quickened, her nails stabbing into the glistening skin of Mike's chest.

With each moment, every gasp, impassioned yelp and deep sigh, clouds descended, enveloping everything, the very essence of fairy power sparking across his lower half in an electrical surge.

Arms and legs tangled together in a heaving, animalistic exchange of magical lust. The next thing Mike realized Kyu laid against him, her back to his chest - whole body slippery with sweat as she backed into him time and time again, only getting faster, never slowing, never ceasing. In a desperate attempt to hold her in place, Winters coiled an arm around her waist, squeezing tight as each feverish jerk of the hips only took him deeper, closer to the height of perfection. The way she moved, the way in which this goddess of all things passion twisted so effortlessly into such gymnastic angles and positions only served to set the mind aflame.

Wriggling out of their shared embrace with a playful slap of the derriere against his bare skin, Kyu let out a low, sexy laugh. " _Fuuuuuck dude…. Good warmup! Let's turn up the heat a little…."_

Scooting back, pinning Mike against the headboard of their wide, heart-shaped bed, Kyu pressed her back against his chest. "Hmmmm… You ever taken a girl from _behind?"_

He couldn't resist her any longer. Between the ungodly temperatures in the room to the constant teasing, a surge of thirsty adrenaline coursed through the veins! A sharp growl escaped Mike's lips as the slender fairy spread her behind with long elegant fingers, slamming down upon him with a sharp, naughty yelp on her part.

As Kyu began to work her magic, he followed suit, matching her every movement with one of his own. This was certainly a _different_ experience – different but pleasing too.

The perfect moment – it was time to level out the playing field for all of the lustful harassment. Between a deep gasp of enjoyment, Mike squeezed his arm around Kyu's middle, brushing his lips against his her neck, sinking his teeth into her exposed skin.

"Ohhhh yeaaaahhh…."

She wasn't disappointed.

**To be continued….**


	14. Blondie – Part XIV

Doubt – there was no way to push it aside any longer in the aftermath of all the passion. It took so long, but finally the gravity of all that had happened was sinking in – crashing home with reckless abandon. After all, a person could only lose so much in one night before finally going over the edge.

The unmistakable sound of cascading water sounded from across the dishevelled hotel suite – muffled only by an overly artsy heart-shaped door. A sobering wave of realization swept across Mike, as he laid back against the cushions, exhausted and bare, and took in the sight of strewn bedsheets, crumpled clothes and plush velvet carpets.

This whole thing had been planned, orchestrated since the very beginning. As much as he hated to admit it, the very thought of uttering those dreaded words aloud, he couldn't contain them any longer. Keeping them in hurt just as much, cut so deeply that they left of a dull, aching pain within.

"She used me…. Since the very beginning, Kyu's been leading me down a path… and I followed her… trusted in my fucked up feelings and listened every time she gave me advice…. 'Advice', that's a stretch given where I've ended up."

A painful frown took to life, twisting his features, one of his fists clenching under a newfound wave of frustration. It was hard to put a finger on the right feeling. Hurt was at the centre of his fragile heart, but there was every right to be pissed off as well.

"This is annoying…. No, it's more than annoying. It's-"

A spark of silver flashed across his thoughts – awakening another realization, something he hadn't come close to noticing until now. It sent a worrisome pang across his chest.

' _I'm alone in another world entirely and there's no way back… no way back unless I can persuade Kyu. She can keep me here as long as she wants and there's nothing I can do about it.'_

Something needed to be done, as soon as possible. A shallow breath fell out – one born from what felt like an almost endless night of misguided feelings.

Yet all the while, images of a certain blond, petite but curvaceous in an elegant way, kept on coming back. They sat there, languishing within his thoughts, eating away like termites through woodwork.

Everything went down happened so quickly. In a blink of an eye Miss Maye found his number on Jessie's phone, a turbulent argument erupted, and in the space of mere hours, the singer found himself whisked away, tempted and left in awe of a land beyond his imagination. All the while, the fingers of the pink-haired mastermind coiled ever tighter with each step taken.

"She chose the perfect moment to strike… pulled me away when I needed help the most. Dammit Kyu you're important to me but… who's in the wrong here?"

Was it down to him for believing so whole-heartedly in every little seed the fairy sowed within his head, or the fault of Miss Sugardust for knowing she could get away with it? Dammit! The whole thing hurt to think about.

Through all of the confusion, all of the unease and the terrible fear of walking on eggshells for fear of being trapped here, Mike exhaled, slapping himself with a dose of cold, hard realism.

One thing above all else was important.

"I need to get back home to Glenberry. Even if it's just for a little while… to clear my head of all this bullshit and think things through."

Thankfully, he had the perfect idea. True, it was a painfully simple plan at that, but it held just the right tone to work – he hoped.

Blinding rays of pink spun across every corner – the bathroom door swinging open in a haze of steam and fairy dust.

Kyu emerged with a smile, her lover half wrapped in a towel – boobs and wings still very much on show. Sure it was a tempting sight – but there'd been more than enough temptation over the last twenty-four hours to last a lifetime.

She buzzed across the lounge, plopping down beside Mike like a featherweight, an all too pervy smile plastered across her lips. "Dayum playa! Six times in one night! _Six_. Not quite a machine just yet… but fuck me kindly you're getting there! Your night of passion with Jessie showed you the ropes, am I right?

Mike grimaced at the thought – not quite sure which was scarier, the fact she knew every element of his love life without fail, or the fact he banged this fairy across the room six times straight and she could still manage more.

' _No. Enough with the bullshit Winters. You're getting side-tracked and that's the last thing you need. Stick to the plan.'_

The plan – his lifeline. Trying his best to shadow the unease across his face, Mike pulled out the smoothest smirk he could muster, taking the roll of playboy not through choice, but through necessity.

"Give me a few and I'll be back on form."

He leaned in, placing a soft kiss upon her lips. "Hey Kyu… You don't mind sending me back home, do you? You know… to pick up some clothes and stuff. That okay? I'll call you when I'm done and you can bring me back."

For the smallest moment, a look of suspicion fell into place, accompanied by a short, teasing wink. "Hmmmm…. Sure thing bro! I'd put on some clothes first though."

Sniggering, apparently amused in some weirdly childlike way, Kyu gave his bicep a poke with her forefinger, praising him with an impressed whistle. "Someone's been working out, too."

It showed – of course, it did. There was only so much crap a guy could take going around in his mind before needing some kind of outlet. The gym worked wonders between his recent meetups with Tiffany and Jessie. It had its awkward moments when Kyanna turned up, true – that all too familiar air of tension, but otherwise it was still cool.

His reflection staring back in a magically floating mirror, Mike went about throwing his outfit back together. By the time everything was in place, he gave a roll of the eyes, far from impressed. He couldn't expect much less after such a rough night – _rough_ being the active word. The shoes lacked their shine, his shirt crinkled, and his pants creased.

The best he could give to Kyu's earlier compliment was a tired smile. "I sure as shit don't feel someone that works out right now.

Standing, struggling at best to keep up the façade – he looked Kyu up and down, drawn for the smallest moment to her finer womanly features before abruptly snapping his eyes back.

"You good and ready to send me back?"

Kyu hung on the weight of his words – her abrupt pause only making him more nervous. "Alrighty! Stand still for a sec, kay? Oh and…"

Fluttering on those crystalline wings of hers, she reached out for his shoulders, giving a goofy grin. "It's a good job you didn't eat breakfast… cuz the ride back sure as fuck's gonna empty your stomach."

As her fingers clenched tight, Mike felt his world spin backward, everything around him inverting in a wobbly, almost trick-house kind of blur. Piece by piece, the fabric of the room twisted, a magical hole ripping through. Like an open void it stared him in the face, so gaping, purple and foreboding.

"Alley-oop!" Kyu let him go, his body yanked legs first into the doorway like a vacuum.

This feeling, so hot, so fiercely intense that it sent every nerve of the body into a sparking frenzy. He'd felt it before. A thousand thoughts cascaded – finally stopping after the spinning of a roulette, upon one single moment.

"The first time I felt love magic in my body…. It's exactly the same…."

Unable to cope with the enormity of the void, his body fizzling red hot, Winters let out a faint rasp of breath, closing his eyes. A flash of white took his world by storm.

* * *

Cold. So very cold. A veil of darkness lifted after what felt like the world's longest and most discomforting sleep.

"Ohhhh shit…."

Mike crawled upward from his little ball, vision falling back into focus after a jittery start. Comforting surroundings brought his quickened, thumping heart to ease. A kitchen counter with a small fruit bowl – the all too familiar wide screen television, and of course, the notorious leather couch, except this time:

"So you're the one? I've been waiting for you, Mike Andrew Winters…."

Again, the world turned in a veil of powerful light. Before Mike could so much as speak, black entered his vision. Fairies, fairies in the most excessively chique onyx dresses, two of them, both more than well-endowed, swooped in from the sides, grabbing him by the arms and yanking him upright. What were fairies doing in his apartment? More of Kyu's games, maybe?

"Don't you dare move. We're watching you, big boy."

The one on the left, long golden hair pooling down her back, only tightened her hold, the wings pultruding through the slits at the back of her dress beating at double speed. Her complexion, nothing short of flawless in its presentation and dotted with a most lovely tint of strawberry red freckles, held the most wary frown.

"That'll be quite enough," a regal voice, sounded through the struggle, one so highfalutin and stern that all Mike could do was shudder. "Maryanne, Constance… let him go. You're dismissed."

"But Miss-"

The blond fairy's protests fell silent, obviously stopping herself out of futility. "If that's what you want… but be sure to send word if you need our help."

Her eyes of shiny blue narrowed, turning frightfully cloudy and dark. "I don't trust him…."

A sharp clap of the hands pulled open a magic door from the nothingness. Dropping to the floor, eyes wide as this near-storybook series of events continued to play out, Mike watched as the two fairy's took a few paced steps back.

They were a little short as far as magical creatures went – at least based on his short trip to Sky Garden anyway. The wavy-haired brunette of the two, much to the disdain of her counterpart, gave a short, curious smile toward the singer before they turned and left, pulling the magical hole they'd made shut from the other side like the zipper on a sleeping bag.

That left Mike alone in silence – a terse veil all too quickly shattered by the sound of sandals clacking across the hardwood. Gold fell into his line of sight, laces and bracelets so divine that their shimmering radiance hurt his eyes!

Slowly, speechlessly, nearly suffocated by this amazing aura alone, the blond craned his head upward, taking every inch of the tall, gorgeous stranger – a woman so intoxicating his lungs almost failed to draw air. A long robe of white and red, her utterly flawless skin giving off a natural glow almost like magic. Locking eyes with her was an overwhelming task, too, the purest, most divine emerald green – one so alive with light it made his own pale in comparison.

Then and there, letting out a snooty, impatient breath – this woman, this being, folded her arms. Was she curious or annoyed? Mike could barely tell through the mire dragging down his thoughts.

' _I don't know what's going on anymore…. She's not human…. Sure, she looks more human than the fairies but…. Goddammit… The longer I look at her the more it feels like I'll melt into a puddle….'_

She sighed, casting aside the golden wreath upon her head in a firework burst of sparkles, bringing down those eyes, so dangerously pure, for a second time. "Surely you don't intend to stand there and idolize my beauty all day, mortal? Stand up."

As though a soldier obeying his superior, thoughtless and automatic, Mike responded to her voice, unable in any way to resist. Something about her, between the energy pooling from her body, to the endless amounts of trinkets, to the very feeling she brought to the room, served to render him useless.

"Wh-who," the blue of Mike's talent crackled across his body, so strong compared to the usual he could feel it flooding his very inch. "Who are you? W-what're you doing in my apartment?"

The intruder's lips curved into the faintest of smiles. "You stand in the presence of Theiatena Venus… the goddess of love. For you to warrant me stepping down from my throne? You should be honored."

A cascade of thoughts from the night before rushed back to life, old snapshots replayed on a greyed theatre screen. In an instant, Mike took a nervous step back. The truth was out there, so perfectly clear.

"Y-you're Kyu's boss. _That_ Venus…. You run Sky Garden…."

"Hmmm," Venus turned her back, taking over the couch and seating herself. "For all I've heard about you, you're quite slow to catch on. Come. Sit down. I intend to have a word with you, Mike Winters."

This didn't sound good. Everything screamed of problems, in fact. Venus was here – in the magnanimous flesh. Not only that, there was even a dining chair sat neatly in front of the couch. She was waiting – had been waiting for a while.

"Don't flounder any longer. It's already taken a great amount of effort on my part to wait for your arrival."

Mike came across the room without a word of complaint – doing what little he could to straighten his messy clothes before sitting down, the eyes of the elegant woman boring into him like some kind of inquisitor in a movie.

From a wormhole of golden magic, Venus pulled a pink piece of paper, A4 in size with fancy, sparkly edges, glittery dust pattering against the coffee table with every little movement of the item.

"You're… gonna have to explain why you're here." Mike faltered at every step, his tongue tripping over the words as they came out in a nervous mess. "If this is about-"

"Be quiet." Venus silenced him again – placing the piece of paper down against the glass of the table and shaking her head. "If anything… I came here to see you for myself… to see why Miss Sugardust warrants breaking so many rules… _my rules…_ to turn you into something worthwhile."

"That and," the goddess brought the digits of her left hand to rest upon the paper, "Terminate your contract, of course. This has gone on long enough… to the point where risks have become apparent."

What was there to say? No amount of rambling would be enough to please this obviously divine woman and her cold, focused curiousity. Mike thought in overtime, mustered everything he could, but in the end, only let out a small, fragile sigh.

' _I'm beaten before I even start here. She's here because knows what went down. Strange how Kyu thought she could get this much past her without noticing.'_

"Look… Venus… 'Miss Venus' I heard you like to be called…. I don't know anything apart from what Kyu told me last night. She wants me to give up what I have here and become some playboy…. She keeps saying I have potential but… at this point... I dunno, fuck."

"Ironic." Venus let out a short, mocking chuckle. "She wants you to help her based upon trust - and yet she refuses to tell you the whole truth. You poor fool. The loss and confusion in your eyes is simply pitiful."

What? There was more to the story than Kyu's grand plan of creating the ultimate charmer of women? Her explanation had already been long, hard to figure out, and laced with seduction. Now Venus sat here hinting at even more.

"Between me and you," Mike scoffed, all too bitter over his recent feelings of betrayal. "I don't want to help her. If you're telling me she has more in store… that's all well and good… but I-"

Again, Venus silenced him with a brief raise of her hand, willing quiet upon the room. For a second at least, she seemed lost in thought, before coming back with a distant expression - one of faint sadness.

"You're more like _her_ than I believed possible. Of course you won't help Kyu. One look into your eyes and I can see as much. Your heart already belongs to another. A pure love. Genuine and unstained by baseless lust."

Mike stalled – trying for a moment to figure out the ' _her'_ Venus talked about. She must've been Kyu. Just how were he and Kyu alike, exactly?

Shrugging it off, he snapped back to the love goddess – eying her with a deep, rainy frown as he caught those jagged words about 'pure love'. She could see right through him. Of course, she could.

"There's no point me saying it. You already know how much I care about Tiff…. She's the only one I wanted from the start. Nothing I can do now though, is there? I don't think 'sorry for fucking your mother' and a box of chocolates covers it."

A small titter and nothing more. Venus stood from her conquered leather throne, closing the gap. The way she looked at him, so deep with just the slightest hint of warmth, gave way to a nervous jitter.

"You would be surprised how the power of honest love can overcome almost anything. Interesting… very interesting indeed…."

She did little more than place one of her pristine hands atop of Mike's. In the single fraction of a moment, the very room distorted in a hailstorm, his very sense-of-self exploding into a thousand pieces. Power beyond the likes of anything, so fiercely violent and yet so beautifully delicate, blasted through his veins. There was no need to explain the torrent flooding his entirely – no, he just embraced it.

' _The power of a goddess…. All the good and all the bad rolled into one. It's perfect….'_

Mike was desolate, slumpimg against the back of his chair and gasping for air – his lungs still seizing in utter shock. He could see, and yet he couldn't – almost as though a golden hue distorted his sight.

"W-w-w." he wheezed with urgency. "What d-did you do to me?"

"Nothing, nothing at all," Venus assured, moving her had away. "I decided to get a deeper read on you, Mike. I wanted to feel for myself just how much 'potential' you supposedly have…"

Winters coughed. "What do you think? All bullshit or-"

Venus edged back – her disinterest replaced with a look of vague engagement. "It seems I was right in giving Kyu this job at first… regardless of the outcome. You're _skilled_ yes… but that does not mean you're _exceptional_."

Venus took the pink paper from the table again – now she looked serious. "All the more reason for me to put an end to this before it gets out of hand. All I require is your approval by way of signature…. I implore you to accept. It's not often I ask… especially when a situation demands action."

So, this was it. After all the ups and downs, the lady of love herself was bringing things to a close. One small scribble of pen against paper, and Kyu would be gone – never to be heard from again. Her plan, whatever it was, would end here and now, the truth would be forever lost.

No – it was too soon. A lump forming in his throat, Mike nervously declined, daring to take the paper from her hand and fold it up. "Give me a little time first…."

Venus almost looked impressed with his sudden show of backbone. "You stand before a goddess and yet you still refuse? Brave... I shall give you that much. Again, the look of confusion upon your features speaks louder than words. You want the truth, don't you?"

Mike stood his ground. "You're damn right about that. Give me a couple of days… that's all I ask…. Since you seem so hell bent on _not_ telling me what Kyu has in mind… I'll ask her myself. Once I know the truth, I'll rip this paper to shreds, myself."

There came an abrupt pause – the green-haired deity again looked to be in deep thought. The way she sat down again, one gorgeous, golden leg folded over the other as she pattered a fingertip against her chin in thought.

The silence was all too agonizing. Mike continued to wait, his heart thundering louder and harder than he ever thought possible. A shudder overtook his paper holding hand, one he quickly fought to keep in check by gripping harder.

After what seemed like an eternity, Venus gave her approval with a 'thumbs up' gesture, one that felt too much like a roman empress giving reprieve to slaves fighting in the arena.

"I'll allow it… but purely because of your honest intentions toward the girl with the golden hair. 'Tiffany' wasn't it? I cannot fault the devotion you hold within. It reminds me far too much of _somebody_ I once knew."

Venus stood up, giving Mike one last, magnanimous hand gesture – holding him in pause. This time slower than the last, she came closer, far closer than before. Her very aura caused his body to crackle and twist in that all too deep shade of blue.

Not a word she spoke, instead eying him up and down – it was as if she was looking for something. She scrutinized every inch from head to toe, before finally releasing a tiny, almost tired sigh.

"It is terribly ironic that I meet you now of all days. Indeed, the hearts of humans have a strange way of letting their intent hold sway. While you mortals may have but a finite presence on this earth… each one of you can most certainly leave your mark."

Again, Venus raised her hand, placing a soft touch upon Mike's shoulder. Her eyes narrowed, deadly focused to a point. "You have two days to confront Kyu and find the answers that you seek. Do not abuse my generosity, Mike Winters…."

The final warning delivered, she pulled her hand away. One backward step of her sandals, a second, and a third. Resting herself against the arm of the couch, she could only give the faintest hint of a bemused groan.

"You do not wish to claim the love of a goddess. You do not seek to become a legend. I find that to be strange… because under different circumstances, in a time and place not the same as this one, you may well have sought to pursue such a path. How one simple girl… one tiny dream, has taken root within you."

Mike knew it – he knew it well. The short amount of time spent with Miss Maye worked wonders in helping him understand not just what the weighty word 'love' really meant. More than that – she'd helped him understand the most difficult thing of all.

' _Myself… She helped me figure out myself….'_

"Two days, right?" Mike spoke up – wanting to be extra sure. Having the very meaning of the human heart come back to bother him again brought a feeling beyond overwhelming. "If this isn't cleared away within the next forty-eight hours…. What are you gonna do?"

Venus didn't little more than give an unamused patter of her fingers against the arm of the leather couch. "Don't let it come to that. I am a busy woman… one with an entire world of people to watch over."

"Message received – loud and clear." Winters folded the contract paper and slid it into the pocket of his pants. Before he could as much as blink, an aura of powerful multi-coloured light licked across the walls and floors, every shade under the love rainbow filling his apartment.

It felt so heavy – pushed him so hard, that his back collided with the chair. He fixated upon every tiny feature the love goddess as she snapped one of her fingers, the awesome showing of power brought to an effortless close in a vibrant flash.

Romance, Flirtation; Talent; Sentiment; Charisma; Sexuality; Passion; Luck. Even the feared purple magic. She held every single one within her fingertips without a single flutter of effort.

"Talent is your forte." Venus chuckled – stepping around the couch. She settled upon the wider open space behind the kitchen counter. Another snap of the fingers shook the room - a golden doorway opening from the nothingness.

"I will admit that you certainly hold a knack for Talent… maybe even a hint of Charisma, as well. Regardless, as I have just shown you. To be truly worthwhile, you must have an understanding of all nine… something that yourself and Kyu tragically fail to understand."

Stepping through the doorway, giving a haughty royal wave of the hand, Venus vanished – imploding in a golden sphere of light.

" _It was not unlikable to meet you in person, Mike Winters. Perhaps, if you try hard enough, steel yourself to walk this road until its end, there may still be hope for you. Do not stall too long, however. I find quitters to be so very boring…."_

Just like that, Venus was gone. Nothing but the slow, near-silent ticking of the clock broke through the feeling of bewilderment gripping Mike by the shoulders. At hadn't sunk in – wouldn't sink in.

A goddess – a deity born of powers beyond even magic, had sat herself on his couch.

"The same couch I've had so many girls sprawled across lately…."

Crawling to his feet, rigid as stone, Mike made the slow, difficult trek across to that very same couch, flopping against the leather with an exhausted exhale of breath. It smelled of a perfume beyond delightful – rosewood, jasmine, lavender, everything sweet and sensual imaginable.

"Two days." Mike nodded to himself in confirmation, reaching for the television remote and shaking off the sparkles. With a flick of the red button, the wide black screen popped to life. "I've got two days to figure this out…."

Letting the local news lady say her piece, Mike laid his head back, running a hand through his untidy hair, a bead of sweat dripping in a thin line down his forehead. His thoughts needed organizing. Dear God, if they weren't he'd melt on the spot.

' _Today marks the day of the twenty-first anniversary since the death of well-loved classical music sensation, Angela Scarlett Winters. Tributes are being paid across the whole county for the icon, including a public memorial service held by her elder brother in their home town of Greenville. Unfortunately, nobody knows if her son Mike will be present to pay tribute at the ev-'_

A heavy, truly miserable feeling squirmed in Mike's stomach – the report on television threatening to push him over the edge. He'd been so wrapped up in all of this crap since yesterday he'd forgotten the most important day of the year.

"Dammit, mom…. How the fuck did I let you slip from mind like this? Especially since I've been thinking about you so much recently…."

Punching one of his fists into the leather, releasing a beyond pissed off growl; Mike pulled the Huniebee from the pocket of his pants with his free hand. For what seemed like forever, he remained whole-heartedly focused on the sight of candyfloss hair and shiny wings.

"All the more reason to fix this while I have the chance. I've already lost Tiffany... I better close things off with Kyu before it's too late…."

There was nothing else to do. This whole thing had gone way too far.

Even as he dropped the Huniebee – letting it sit at his side, memories of a certain blonde cheerleader taunted him, teased him. Worse, they reminded him of what an idiot he'd been.

' _What's shakin' bacon?'_

A smile most bitter curved his lips – a pair of long, watery tears leaking out. Tired, exhausted after so very long, he couldn't keep his feelings in check anymore.

"I'm so sorry Tiffany…."

The most he could do for her now was fix Kyu's damage – find out the truth and put an end to all of this. For the sake of all he'd lost, Mike had no other choice.

**To be continued….**


	15. Blondie - Part XV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy. Here we go, ladies and gentleman. This is it – the big one. A lot's going to happen here, so get ready. We're officially on Blondie's closing stretch from here on out.
> 
> Also, if you like this story, why not follow me on DeviantArt. You can find me in the Huniepop-Fan group over there. Not to mention there's also a really cool piece of artwork I commissioned to go alongside this chapter. Why not go check it out?
> 
> Alrighty. Let's begin. Be sure to stick around for the closing notes, too. I have a question for all of you!

Tonight was the deadline – there wasn't another moment to spare. Two days of taking cover across Glenberry, couch surfing at a friend's place and otherwise keeping a low profile. Mike had made damn sure there was no way for Kyu to find him – even turning off his Huniebee and not answering a single call with his regular phone.

His mind was made up, and with every resonating tick of the lounge clock, he only felt surer of himself. Time after time, he'd fallen into the trap of an alluring magical guardian, and now he was truly at his wits end.

No more screwing around – it was time to put an end to this.

Moving from the living room couch in the middle of his friend's huge apartment brought with it a surge of adrenaline, and looking toward the neatly folded clothes sat at his side; Mike made a straight shot for the bathroom.

Over the course of these two long, uncomfortable days he'd sent one single text message – one to draw the line and let his feelings be known in equal measure.

' _Kyu… we need to talk. I'm not going back to Sky Garden and it's about time I be straight with you about all this shit. I want some answers. Meet me at the university campus at around nine on Tuesday night. I'll be waiting by the bleachers. This is more than important, so be sure to turn up. Mikey.'_

It was only right to go back to U.O.G - the place where he met Tiffany the first time. If anything, she'd been on his mind endlessly since the return from Sky Garden.

"There's no going back now. Not that I want to anyway. This is the last shred of closure I need – I gotta free myself from the girl that's been pulling the strings since day one."

Mike gelled back his hair, adorning a shirt outside of the usual for tonight. Red, dark and striking. He'd set a tone that he meant business, and if Kyu had a problem? Well, she'd just have to deal with it, now wouldn't she?

Checking himself over in the mirror one final time after the ritual of preparation, decked out in the titular pressed smart-casual black pants and all the extras, his lucky silver watch clasped around his right wrist, the singer gave a deep exhale and slumped against the sink – his expression an all too tired one.

The little hand crept across the face of his timepiece, bringing the notion of his time limit all too close to home. Pulling his attention free, he gazed, deep in thought about the long chain of events that brought him here, toward the reflective glass one last time.

"Everything feels like it was a diversion tactic now that I see things for what they are. I was struggling with the idea of what Tiffany wanted, so I went to Kyanna for advice… Kyu argued against it. I went to Jessie because Kyu wasn't helping, things went too far and she did fuck all to stop me…."

His thoughts flashed back in a burst of white toward that night in the Bar and Lounge. Of course! How stupid could a guy get? He'd told Kyu that their time together was almost up, that soon he'd have what he wanted most, and what did she say?

The words she uttered that night – so cold and uncomfortable, brought a dull, aching sensation within his heart as he uttered them aloud.

_"I don't think me and you are through just yet. Call it a hunch… but I'm not signing you off. You and me, Winters? We've got a ways to go."_

"Dammit," Mike growled, his fist squeezing tight. "She pretty much told me her plan then and there… in the middle of a bar full of people… and I didn't think anything of it. I shrugged it off… so cocky… so confident. Man, I'm a fucking idiot."

Such a memory only sent a heated flicker of determination pulsing through the veins. Cool and calculated, a ruthlessly smooth smile curving his lips upward, Mike brought the folded piece of pink paper, his binding contract with the love fairy, from the pocket of his pants.

"But this time we're playing things my way. There's nothing you can do to sway me a second time, Kyu. You're caught in a net and you don't realize it. True, I'm not free of blame here for some of the things I did… but I'll be damned if I don't set this right… for Tiffany's sake."

A yearning for the truth had crawled, still crawled in fact, throughout his thoughts. If anything, the last couple of days only intensified his desire, too. It was impossible to go on a moment longer without knowing why the pink-haired, scantily clad mastermind had done all of this.

Only once he knew the truth could Winters shred this goddamned fairy contract.

With that thought cemented in place, he took a slight step back, tearing himself from his dopleganger in the mirror and making his way from the bathroom, across the lounge and past the weakly illuminated sight of the miniature aquarium, and toward the door.

There his shoes waited, prepared and polished. Slipping them on and breathing a sigh, steeling himself for the night ahead with one last, rigid glace toward the lounge clock hanging above the doorway, Mike gave a sigh – releasing the tension couldn't have felt better.

"Alright…. It's about time I get my ass out of here and do this."

Reaching for the door handle brought a warning sting of dread, but regardless, the departure into the hallway came swiftly. The well-decorated expanse of this upmarket apartment complex brought a serious tone, the sight of expensive vases propped upon small oaken tables and art décor lining the pristine white walls, only driving the truth further home. There was no road to walk but forward but a man on a mission.

* * *

The trip across town brought with it plenty questions, so many 'how's' and 'why's' – most of which still lacked answers, but as Mike waited, long since admitted onto university grounds through a solid favour – a small thank you on behalf of one of the younger campus security guards, he couldn't help but look up toward the sky.

A white moon, so full and regal in its place beside an endless expanse of glittering stars, called out, letting its presence be known in the awe-inspiring glow in which it bathed the U.O.G football field. Without another soul around or a single floodlight this place would've normally felt so eiree. Not tonight for some reason. On this quaint, simple Tuesday, a welcoming vibe filled the air.

"C'mon, Kyu," Mike muttered aloud – his deep eyes of green focused with dedication upon his watch. As always, her timekeeping was none-existent. "It's already way past ten…. Why do I get the feelings she's not gonna turn u-"

A pink orb of almost neon radiance brought silence to his words – the gravity of the following pink flash at the centre of the pitch causing a burn in the back of the head under such sudden sharpness. For a moment he squinted, little to do but struggle, until his vision finally corrected.

"There you are! The hell, dude? It's been days since I've seen you… _days_."

There at the middle of everything, an all too familiar face accompanied an unforgettable voice.

"Sorry Kyu," Mike spoke, short and only slightly apologetic in light of his feelings. "I had to spend some time on the down low… work shit out."

There she was, Kyu, Miss Sugardust, the supposed guardian of his love life and the 'savior' of his career. Many a word came to mind through of all the recent discoveries, but it was best to save them for now.

As the magical woman made her way across the field, decked out in her human world attire, skimpy brown dress, brunette magic to hide the candyfloss pink and all the other trimmings, Mike moved from his spot by the bleachers, making his way down the creaking wooden steps, greeted by the Astroturf underfoot.

"You could've called, there, dude." Hands on her hips as the gap closed, an exasperated groan finding its way out, Kyu gave an abrupt heeltap. "Fun fact there, Mike. I gave you a top of the line magical phone for a reason. Y'know…. How about you turn it on and use it? That'd be sweet."

Setting the tone was all too important here. A frown to match hers, shoes footed firmly in place, Mike stood his ground. "I would've… if I didn't need some time _alone_ these past couple of days days…."

Kyu noticed it almost right away, raising a brow. "You okay there, champ? You're lookin' a little tense… little on edge. What's eating at ya? Hmm? Go on – you can tell me all about-"

Unfolding the piece of magic-infused pink paper from his pocket brought silence – an all too deafening silence. "This. I'm bothered by _this._ Long story short… to say I'm beyond pissed is the understatement of the year."

"How did you-" A paleness washed over Kyu's features – her eyes turning from confusion to desperation in a heartbeat, especially as she tried to pluck the paper from her clients hand in many an unsuccessful tippy toed struggle. Thankfully, without her wings, she didn't have much luck.

"No, seriously," the surprise upon her lips turned sour. "How in the name of the great fairy Fuck Queen did you get that contract paper, Mike? That's the original copy from my f-"

Good. The upper hand was secure. For the first time in months with the fairy, Mike could finally rest easy knowing he held the cards and not the other way around.

"Venus," he spoke up, lips curving into a suave smile of ice and venom. "Your boss gave it to me… and I'll damned is she didn't have some really… _really interesting shit to_ share with me along the way. Long story short… she's onto you."

A flash of panic washed over – Kyu looking frantic through her usually cool and 'no fucks given' attitude. It only lasted for a second, but it was noticeable. After a sharp breath to compose herself, she breathed out with what sounded a lot like relief, looking to the musician and reaching again for the paper.

"Knew I could count on ya, Mike, homie. You're here to give me that paper so I can go explain myself to Venus, right? Then we can go back to Sky Garden a-"

What better way to shatter her desperate hopes than a stern shake of the head, the kind a father gave to a badly behaved child. Mike backed off, keeping the contract firmly in hand - using his almost five-feet-ten of height to keep the edge.

"Not a chance. You're not having the contract… and if there's someone you're gonna be explaining yourself to… _it's me_."

Doubling down, steely eyed, uncharacteristically serious to the point of passive aggressive, Mike dug in his heels and slipped the magical admin piece that bound them away. There he stayed, arms folded.

"I want to know _exactly_ what your plan is… cuz you're turning heads Miss Sugardust. When you sent me back to my apartment your boss was waiting there… backed up by two real serious looking fairies in black dresses. She did _not_ look pleased at first…."

" _The girls in silk,"_ Kyu whispered, low, uneasy, almost too quiet to hear. "Shit… okay Mike…. I need you to trust me here. Just gimme the damn paper and let's go! No need to be an ass about i-"

Mike remained a statue, continuing to bar the path of escape with unrelenting stubbornness and deep-rooted, bitter determination. "Second time, no. You're going to tell me _everything_ … how many rules you've been breaking… why _exactly_ you want me to go to Sky Garden, why you _used me_ like this to get your own way. No more secrets."

If her actions were enough to warrant the attention of a goddess, an actual, living breathing goddess, then there was no doubt the stunt Kyu was trying to pull here ran deep, so deep in fact that she'd only given tiny titbits of information here and there.

Kyu mumbled something sounding an awful lot like curse words and half-baked insults, clamping her fingers tight in a knot and standing upright. She shot Mike a glare, one so powerful and unrelenting, that her eyes flashed the brightest pink.

"You want answers? Fine…"

Breathing deeply, exhaling her frustration, Kyu remained close, if not the slightest bit more guarded than a moment before. Why was it so hard for her to give an answer instead all of this cryptic shit?

"There's a guy in Sky Garden… name's Ronnie… a human, the ultimate love legend. Rewind about fifty years and he was an average guy like you, until Venus slipped his file across my desk. I did all I could with him. Over time he became so damn good, a master of the heart, guys and girls alike… so good in fact, Venus took him under her wing…."

This whole thing sounded more complex than anything Mike had expected to hear. In fact, he could to little more than stand there, taking in every little word, solid and unmoving as his love fairy explained everything. The look in her eyes – it was so different from usual. Distant, pained, nothing carefree or flirtatious about it.

"He became a total love _god_ in the sixties. Swinger festivals, orgies; out and out fuck parties that went on for days and days on end. Playa, I can see the surprised look you got there but I ain't making it up. He had _all the bitches._ So many in fact that in the end, Venus granted him her love power… let him stay in Sky Garden 'n set up shop."

By now, Mike had to pipe in – let the question at the front of his mind out from its shackles. "You can do that? Powerful enough humans can go to Sky Garden and stay there? There's no rules against it?"

Kyu nodded – still all too serious in her expression. "Yep. You get Venus' permission and you can stick around for good. The love power makes you age waaaaay slower like us fairies do. Fuck, Ronnie, McShagger he goes by these days…. He's been there for like forty years. Barely aged a day. Lives in a mansion surrounded by Sky Garden's nastiest hoes."

The guy sounded like he was on quite the ego trip, and it took one to know one. In the early days, when Kyu first arrived? Yeah, Mike knew he wasn't perfect. He'd treated Kyanna like shit, suffered for it, and never forgotten how crazy their 'relationship' was until finally breaking it off after that night.

Everything was a little clearer now at least, but Mike was far from willing to give in.

"That's a start," the singer cut in, bringing his arms down to his sides – a glimmer of further curiosity alive in his eyes. "But if this guy's supposed to be so good… then why'd you need me? Kind of pointless having two of us, don't you think… and Kyu? I'm _nowhere_ near his level."

"Not to join him," Kyu clarified, giving a sharp snap of the fingers – giving off a crackle of sharp pink magic. "I need you to stop him…. Venus doesn't want me interfering with this one… but I can totes see where it's going. He set up a porno empire in the late eighties…. Since then he's been gaining _a lot_ of ground. So I wanted you to-"

Enough, this had gone on longer than needed. Bringing the paper from his pocket again, Mike creased the edges, a warning frown creeping upon his lips. "I don't need to hear anymore…. I get it… clearer than the moon above us right now."

"Easy there, Tiger," Kyu's voice rang out – a hollow attempt at trying to cool his rising frustration, clearly. She knew him well enough, that much was a given. "Before you start getting riled up let me-"

"I'm not riled up," he exhaled deeply, taking a step back and holding the contract to ransom, his fingers squeezing around its edges tightly. "I'm fucking _hurt_ by this, Kyu… You've known me for the past year. I put faith in you to help me get on my feet… and from day one you've been nudging me toward this."

"Oh, c'mon!" Flipping back her magically infused brown locks, a look so indignant across her features, the otherworldly guardian fought back by giving a pissy frown. "It wasn't like that at first… not until I saw how good you were. Sure you're not the best, but you're a solid shot…. I didn't wanna see you thro-"

"Throw it all away?" Mike couldn't stop his smooth voice – the cracking of his inflection amidst a rush of emotion. "Even if what you're saying's true… and I don't believe that for a second – did you ever stop to think about _me?_ What I want? How much Tiff means to me? Cuz somehow... I don't think so."

"Of course I d-"

He wasn't going to let her get a word in – bringing silence to her with a sharpened, jagged stare. Amidst all the feeling, all of the sentiment, a tear leaked from his eyes.

"You guys are meant to be like counsellors right? You guide us… help us! You've read my file cover to cover…. You know all my deepest issues… all the shit I felt inside about my mother… my past… my struggles living in Angela's shadow… and you went ahead and did all this anyway…."

Hands trembling, overflowing at the brim, impassioned and empowered, Mike let it all out, the full force of his innermost pouring out.

"Over the last few months I kept coming to you for help. Every single time I wanted you to give me a nudge in the right direction over my problems, Tiffany, mom… my future with the band… all you did was keep on giving half-answers and artsy little hints. My livelihood… _the whole reason you're here was in a fucking mess-"_

Sucking in air to bring the smallest hint of control back to his shaky breathing, Mike eased back. He probably looked in a sorry state right now.

Kyu bounced back with fire – stepping in with the ultimate bitchy sneer, jarring it only made the gravity of the situation feel worse. "Isn't that what you've got a girlfriend for in the first place? To share your problems and shit? Why'd you not go to Blondie instead, hmm?"

There was no way he'd let her bring Tiffany into this. Biting back the urge to erupt, Mike paced closer, meeting the fairy eye to eye, a mere few inches apart, towering over her.

"Because Tiffany had her own issues. She's too sweet… too damn kind to worry about my fucked up insecurities. The girl suffered through her teen years… I didn't wanna make that worse. Who wants to deal with the real me? I'm serious. I'd much rather crack a smooth smile and pretend I'm okay..."

Kyu snorted, rolling her eyes, mocking his heartfelt words with nothing but coldness and sarcasm.

"Great job there, playa. I'd say going drinking with her mom's a surefire way to screw that shit up, wouldn't you? How dense can you get? You really think Jessie and Tiffany care like I do? One of them measures love in inches and the other wants a paradise that ain't real! They don't want you for who you are... they never did. If anything I've been trying to help y-"

"BULLSHIT! THIS IS BECAUSE OF YOU!"

An echo of Mike's voice rang out, so loud, so painfully powerful, that it carried for what seemed to be miles, across the football field and beyond. Kyu was silent, wide eyed and unimpressed at the sheer level of volume his usually smooth, gentle voice carried in the heat of emotion.

"No need to yell, Mike." It was the only response she gave, brief, snide and to the point.

"You don't get it, do you, Kyu? Jessie was a stranger in a bar one night…. She found me sat against the counter of that grungy little flea pit with a glass of liquor in my hand. But, she listened when I let everything I was feeling pour out… I was borderline fucking depressed... She did more to help me in a thirty minute talk then you have in months."

The way Kyu did little more than stand there, scoffing hard and flipping back those brown locks of hers, was almost unbelievable. Did she really believe she was in the right here?

"No, it's _you_ that doesn't get the deal here, Winters. I've been helping you all this time – _cuz I believe you're pretty damn hot when it comes to my job._ Give it a little time, spin the wheel… you'd stop Ronnie in no time. I mean it. None of it'd matter anymore. You'd be the ultimate-"

Her words hurt beyond belief. A year in Kyu's company and it felt like she didn't have an ounce of care toward what this whole thing was about, why she'd been called here.

Sighing, frustrated and tired of hearing pale, unfulfilling excuses, Mike spoke up. "You're still not hearing me. Says a lot about you as a person, Kyu. Isn't there a rule in your game that you don't manipulate your clients for your own ends? Ronnie doesn't mean shit to me… I just want closure. _You used me..._ "

A deep, agonizing feeling swept in. Mike couldn't bring his eyes away from the Astroturf beneath his feet as flashbacks of a gorgeous, tearful blond invaded his thoughts.

"I'm a mess with too many things dragging me down… but I love Tiffany – more than anything… and at least if I can turn around and walk away from tonight having ended this crazy game of yours... I've at least done something for _her_. I deserve what I got for listening to you… but through way of me, you've hurt so many people Kyu Sugardust… You tore apart a family for fuck sakes!"

A laugh, low and bitter, bounced across the open expanse of the campus, Kyu giving an annoyed, all too cynical smile. "I did what I needed to do. Making yourself out to be so noble here, aren't we, playa? Can't say I hate ya for it… but I didn't think you'd turn round and bite me in the ass like this at the last second. Plot twist!"

There was no sense in dragging this out any longer. Sliding his fingers across the middle of the contract, brought his thumb and forefinger down, and applying what little strength he needed to pull the pink paper in two with an all too clean, crisp rip down the centre.

"I'm not trying to make myself out to be great, because I'm not, I'm a fuckup. All I can do now is try and put things right for the mother and daughter you manipulated as much as me. Here's just hoping you don't use your next emotionally troubled client to change the world or some shit…. _Ronnie isn't going away…. Fight your own battles…."_

Kyu let out a snort of amusement, doubling over in a short burst of brightened laughter, wiping a tear from her eye. "I could say the same to you, Winters. You know what? It's crazy funny we're parting ways like this at the last second. Had high hopes for ya kid, I really did. Not mad at you for this… but if you wanna waste your talent in this coastal college town? Fine. But you talking about fighting your own battles? Irony!"

For the faintest moment, one so brief that Mike was almost sure he didn't see it, Kyu seemed to hold a genuine hint of something sad in her eyes, a faint pink flicker filling her orbs. No sooner than it arrived though, it was gone, and Miss Sugardust was back to her overly cheerful self, as if nothing had ever happened.

"Well… looks I better be off, huh? I got an angry boss to deal with. Maybe finger fuckin' her to forgiveness might help? Ohhhh boy. Demotion here I come…."

Waving the singer off with a trademark, teasing smile, the disguised fairy turned her back and strolled off across the field, giving one last wave. "Later Mike. No tearful goodbye or anything but for real… it was a blast homie. I had a great time lookin out for you… _no matter what you might think."_

Kyu shrank to little more than a speck in the distance with time. Winters was sure he saw one last weak flash of pink in the far off parking lot out front of the main university building, but after that, nothing. The average person would've mistaken it as little more than a trick of the light.

A weight lifted, freeing the shoulders of the blond singer. Chains, invisible and bound tightly around his wrists, crumbled apart, a feeling of truest relief, washed over. Yet deep down, it wasn't without a painful sombreness.

Kyu Sugardust was gone for good – it needed to be done, but that didn't stop the faintest ache within his heart.

"It's over. Now I can finally get out of here. Fuck it I need a drink… make that the whole bottle…."

Kicking away a rogue stone near his shoe, surprisingly drained after what amounted to far more than a calm discussion, Mike fastened the loose buttons of his striking red shirt, looking to the moon one last time. He sure was lacking in guidance right now, but it felt good – good to finally say he'd dealt with something _without_ the help of a fairy.

* * *

Turning his back brought only silence – one so intensely defiant it stole the very air from his lungs.

A girl, not just any girl, either. Long golden hair pooling down her back – slender figure adorned in a plaid blue shirt, denim shorts and grey knee high boots. There she stood, eyes of deepest sapphire glittering against the lunar light, silent, almost in awe. The way she held onto the railing of the bleachers, her grip frightfully tight, her beautiful features pained with displeasure, brought Mike to freeze.

The color washed from his face in an instant. He had to pinch himself, check that this whole thing was real – and the resulting nip against the terse skin at the back of the hand brought all the confirmation he needed.

"Tiffany…."

She was coming toward him – slow and cautious, one-step at a time, until finally, one defence kept them separated. An invisible line drawn in the Astroturf, a distance imposed by hurt, of betrayal.

The blonde cheerleader brought her hands from the pockets of her shorts, clasping them together with a nervous exhale. "Is everything you said to that woman true? No lies? Not a word of it?"

So, his exchange with Kyu had a witness – of course it did. Well, there was no way out now, was there? Mike reached out but Tiffany was quick to back away, more afraid than spiteful, keeping their distance firmly alive.

"Well? Was everything you talked about true, or not?"

A nod was about all he could give, his brief attempt at closing the gap already rejected. "Yeah… It wasn't really for anyone else's ears… but yeah… it's all true. How much did you hear?"

Tiffany brought her eyes down – looking to the floor to sever their contact. "I'm guessing the halfway point. Kyu was your counsellor… or therapist. She's been using her professional insight to manipulate to you… _and you need a lot more help than you let on_."

She'd heard plenty of the conversation, then. Enough to omit any references to magic, but more than sufficient to bring the worst of everything to light.

"That's the long and short of it… yes. About a year back, I was seriously screwed up… until I _hired_ her, that is. As time went on though, our meetings, appointments… became a lot less helpful. It wasn't exactly positive reinforcement anymore. She pulled me in… didn't see it at first… until it was too late."

"I see." Tiffany held a deep, thoughtful expression – one just barely hidden behind yellowy strands of hair. The tone in her voice gave it all away. "So all of that stuff you told me about your mom… about not letting it bother you…. It was all made up… Deep down it was hurting, wasn't it?"

Another lie, true. If anything, a lie to protect Tiffany, an already too troubled girl from the weight of someone else's problems, but yes, a lie all the same.

"You had enough going on... I didn't want to distract you. I mean, dammit Tiff. You have college and yourself to think about – a future ahead of you. I've already made my choices and saddled myself with issues aplenty. I didn't wanna drag you down."

Tiffany frowned at that, pushing away the locks of hair to reveal deep, painful eyes. Blue pools glowed with sincerity, tearful emotion risking to nudge her over the edge. She looked even more hurt than the night at Nutmeg.

"What good was trying to protect my feelings if we ended up like this? Were you really so scared of telling me the truth? If you cared, you would've said something, Winters! I love- _loved…_ you enough to do anything for you."

Mike held out his hand again, struggling to keep his own feelings in check at the sight of Tiffany's imminent tears. She gazed silently, toward his outstretched fingers, contemplating his offering for so very long, before taking yet another measured step back.

"For a guy that makes out he's so strong… darn it…." Tiffany shook her head, prompting Mike to put his hand back down. "You're like a lost puppy…."

Her words had no anger to them – no malice. She wasn't screaming or hysteric – but instead so very heartfelt, every word coming from her soft pinkish lips nothing short of agony.

"Three days I sat in Nikki's apartment thinking about this… I wanted to know why… had to figure out why you'd hurt me like this after you promised so much… and now I know."

Mike remained perfectly silent – unable to say anything as Tiffany's words tore into him, delivering the perfect storm at the core of his heart. She kept on, too, the tears finally coming out in a pained yelp as she finally reached out and held him by the shoulders.

"Somebody you held in trust was misleading you… then you bumped into Jessica…."

A hand upon his shoulders, her blue sapphires pooling with water, overflowing, Tiffany stared with everything she had into the core of his soul. "I warned you about her! You went from one bad influence to another… and this whole thing could've been avoided if you'd just come to me! I've _always_ been here for you. I'm _still_ here for you, dummy!"

Clinging on, Tiffany yelped softly, unable to hold back as she sobbed whole-heartedly, into Mike's shirt, staining the fabric with dark blotches. Raw emotion, pain beyond words. She trembled, the very sight of her bringing Mike to the height of all things broken and desolate.

Mike trembled, trying his best to scramble for words. "Tiffany, I-"

"No," she silenced him with a tiny jittering voice, clinging on so tightly her nails ripped dug into his skin through the sleeves. "Let me finish. Please?"

Relenting, the musician fell utterly flat, his attempts to speak lost upon the evening breeze as Tiffany's shattered sobs echoed across the football field. When she looked up her eyes were so red, the tearful streaks across her face not ceasing for a moment.

"You hurt me so much… cut me so deep that I'm _terrified,_ Mike. You know my deepest, darkest secrets… and somehow my mom managed to sink her claws into you as well. I wanna leave you so badly… but at the same time, I can't. Part of me doesn't want to, and I don't know what to do!"

Tiffany already knew everything, or most of it. Mike couldn't stand watching her crying her eyes out like this. The way she held him, stared into him with such pain and longing as they embraced, it tore him apart.

"Then where do we go from here?"

His question was met with such nervous apprehension. "I- I don't know…."

The only choice left then, was to speak from the heart.

"I can never explain away what I did... how I hurt you... Fuck, I'll never forgive myself for it... but now you know the truth at least. I'm a real mess... but I love you, Tiffany Maye."

Words that needed to be shared - even if they had no right to leave his lips. Mike couldn't change the past, but now at least, he could finally be honest about everything. He didn't deserve a girl so kind and beautiful, but for some reason, through the tears in her eyes, she clung on tightly - torn between bringing him closer, and letting him go forever.

"I want to believe you… I do…. At the same time... _my mom._ Stranger in a bar or no... _my mother,_ Mike."

Finally breaking away, forcing herself to leave their shared embrace, Tiffany dried her eyes, still shaking with emotion. "I know somewhere inside you there's a lot of heart. You don't just do things for no reason… but I need time…. I have to figure all this out for myself."

A kiss, tiny, fragile and frightened. For the faintest moment Tiffany's lips brushed against Mike's cheek, the warmth of the sensation causing a painful thump within his chest.

Not a moment later, the cheerleader turned on her heels and made her back toward the towering central dorm building, glass and metal illuminated with dozens of small, faintly lit windows.

"Goodnight, Mikey. Thank you for being honest – even if I wasn't meant to hear you…"

Without another word, Tiffany Maye picked up the pace, her boots thumping against the smooth marble pathway beside the parking lot until finally; she drifted further and further from sight, leaving Mike small and alone.

As if on instinct, bringing the Huniebee out from his pocket, the singer took a moment to breath. A flick of the power button brought his magical device to life, and scrolling with his thumb, he found the familiar smiling icon of Tiffany's profile.

Two small beating red hearts still filled the affection meter. Down from five, but not quite empty just yet.

Shaking his head sadly, Mike slid the device back into the confines of his pocket and walked away; wanting nothing more than to leave the university campus behind.

"Feels like I'm almost at the end of the road. Still I gotta wonder. Tiffany said she's been staying at a friend's house the past few days. So how'd she know I was here?"

Regardless of the question, he carried on. It was going to be one hell of a long walk home.

**To be continued….**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for sticking with me until the end of this very long chapter. So, let me ask you a question. What kind of ending are you expecting for Tiffany and Mike? Happy? Sad? Friendzone? Feel free to leave some feedback and let me know what you think.
> 
> As always, keep on supporting Huniepop and Huniecam Studio! I'll see you in the next chapter.


	16. Blondie - Finale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're here at long last. It's the closing chapter of Blondie! Now, I can only imagine how some of you are going to feel about this one. As you guys know, I've always aimed to give a realistic feel to the characters and their emotions in this story, even with its strong romantic focus.
> 
> That said, how do you think this one's going to go? Please enjoy the read. My thanks to all of you who've followed Tiffany's route of the storyline since the beginning. Let's begin!

It'd been too quiet for too long. Strangely, life continued as normal. No additional worries. Pay the landlady – play at a couple of grungy bars for the extra cash – keep on rolling along on automatic. Things were samey, yet at the same time, everything felt so very offbeat. Enough to bring wayward, discomforting dreams and uneasy thoughts about the future. The mundane opened the door to complacency, and complacency? Well, that was scarier than any of the inner-demons a guy faced in the average day. Playing live shows pulled the mind free of the mire, gave that spark of being alive, but it didn't last for long.

A month since that night at the U.O.G football field, and what was there to show for it?

Mike sighed, a nervous flutter in his chest. Finally, something to break the mundane chains of same old bullshit. Eyes on the prize, he sped through the message of glittery characters across the screen of his Huniebee. Was it better to be scared or excited about this?

_'Hey Mike. I've been thinking long and hard about everything that happened. I think it's best we talk, don't you? You're usually free on a Thursday, right? If you can make time for me, come by Nutmeg at around eight or nine tonight. I'll be waiting for you there after my study session finishes. Tiffany x x x'_

Kisses at the end of the text were a good sign – well, he hoped so.

Getting ready wouldn't take too long – not tonight. No snappy pants or polished dress shoes. A pair of casual blue jeans and a plain black tee shirt. Sometimes simple was good, a reminder of the pre-Kyu days worked better in keeping things grounded. With Kyu gone, too, it seemed even more fitting.

Wallet? Check. Keys. Check.

"Alright. Time to get out of here."

However, by the time Mike reached the door, dressed and ready, a flare of warning swam sparked in his chest. Hand squeezed across the handle, he stayed put, looking back from his place under the doorway alcove, toward the lounge.

It was too quiet without Kyu around. Sure, he'd done the right thing in letting her go, pushing past her secret plans and her deceptions to set things right, but it didn't stop him, somewhere buried far down in the pit of his stomach, from feeling cloudy over the whole thing.

"No… don't start getting wrapped up in all of this shit now. There's no point when it's already said and done."

Tiffany was tonight's priority. She'd been through so much already. Holding her, tears in her eyes, feeling her shake like a leaf in a fragile embrace? There was no way Mikey could let that happen again. This was the right path, and regardless of what happened now, for the first time since all of this began, he'd decided on something and stuck to it.

"Venus asked me to cut ties with Kyu and I did it. I promised Tiff I'd put things right and that's exactly what I've tried to do. _I did the right thing_. I know that."

No more dwelling. Opening the door and stepping out into the cool evening breeze in the hallway, Mike began on his way. Tiffany would be waiting for him.

* * *

Lukewarm coffee and a tragically distant hug. This was where he and Tiffany were at now, Mike thought to himself as took in the all too quiet ambiance that came with an evening at Nutmeg. Low lights, the pungent aroma of expresso and the clatter of plates. It should've been relaxing. _It wasn't._

Eight in the evening – just a couple of hours before closing. A familiar blue-haired girl worked behind the counter preparing coffees with many a grumpy roll of the eyes and plenty of short stares levelled at her customers. Tiffany's friend. Her name was- What was it again? Nikki. That's was right, Nikki!

She kept busy, swapping between serving drinks to evening patrons – allowing herself frequent breaks, and stopping to glare over toward booth in disapproval. She was doing a fantastic job in making the singer feel like a total bastard, not that he didn't deserve it partway.

"Mike…" Tiffany sounded up amidst the chatter of the casual crowd. She reached over, exhaling softly, a tiny piece of paper squeezed between her dainty fingers. "I'll start…. It's for the best, I think."

Unfolding the tiny scrap, Tiffany encouraged him to look. A short string of digits – a phone number? Sure looked like one.

"Everything that happened keeps going round and around in my head. I even confronted mom the other day. I asked her why…. _I needed to know why._ Why she did it. _Why you did it_."

The cheerleader left the paper in the middle of the table, hands nervously edging back to slink around the edges of her coffee cup. Again, she sighed, disheartened and so very hurt.

"There's something I have to know. I need you to be honest with me… honest like you were with Kyu on the football field the other day. Then I might be able to make up my mind one way or the other."

Breathing deep, Tiffany held Mike's hands – the weight of her blue gaze holding him down.

"What do you really want to make out of your life… out of a relationship? I know we've talked about this before but… now that everything's on the table between us…. Now that I've seen the other side to you? I'm asking _one last time_."

Her grip tightened – bringing a nervous thump in his chest. Now or never.

What did Winters want? What gave him purpose and made him feel content with the game of life? When it came to aspirations and the things he held dear, where was Tiffany Maye?

True, he'd stumbled along the way, but now of all times, the troubled musician didn't need to think twice about it. The answer was crystal clear, his heart beating with surety.

"I want to make something of my music career... and find a girl with a good heart, Tiffany. Those're the two things I really give a damn about. My singing… and being with somebody that'll make me happy. So long as she has aspirations and she's loving... I don't care about anything else. _I want to be with you... I still lo-"_ _  
_

Silence fell, the cheerleader snatching away his words with a finger upon the lips.

For the longest time Tiffany paused – her expression deep and thoughtful. There she stayed, sat quietly in her school clothes, lost inside herself with a sea of contemplation. What was going around her head right now?

This stillness didn't help the nervous pounding Mike felt ringing through his head. The rest of the café, the few customers left, and even that stormy-looking girl behind the counter, oversized sweater, lopsided nametag and all, well, _maybe not her_ , but all the others at least? They didn't have a care in the world. That was how it felt, at least.

"My turn, please? I'll tell you what I want, Mike… _what I need_ to make me happy."

Tiffany was back again – taking a nervous sip of lukewarm coffee. Her eyes kept darting between the paper in the middle of the table and back.

"I need somebody I can _trust_ – a guy I can depend on to stick by me and support my decisions. I know I've been insecure about our relationship… and maybe that's what pushed you to do what you did… I dunno… but..."

 _Trust_ – the one word with sharpness enough to cut deeper than any other. Tiff was smart. Dammit she had things right. It _was_ her paranoia, that lack of trust which shoved Mike down the start of this conflicted path to begin with, his own insecurities not included of course. This girl certainly knew herself quite well. She never fell short when it came to self-reflection.

"You're agreeing with me. I can see by the way you're staring into that coffee cup. I'm right, aren't I? Darn… I knew it."

Great. As usual, Mike couldn't hide his feelings. His biggest weak point – the Achilles heel of any man driven by emotion. It took far more to keep things in check than it did let everything out into the open, and he'd been stupid to think the cheerleader, his beloved Blondie wouldn't figure him out in a snap.

"Regardless," Mike came in – finally breaking his silence. "That doesn't excuse what I did and I'm willing to accept that. We're _both_ insecure… and I was stupid. I was hurt that you didn't trust me… and I felt so desperate to confide in somebody."

"Your counsellor," Tiffany responded. "Your counsellor and my mom…. Neither one of them was good for you. They caused more harm than good… to me, too… and what we had together."

If this discussion wasn't a solid example of painful irony, then Mike truly didn't know what was. Two people who loved each-other, overshadowed by their issues, finally discussing them at long last – after things had gone way too far. The game of love had a _cruel_ sense of humor. No wonder Venus stepped in before things could go any further.

"I still care about you, Tiffany. I haven't stopped thinking about you. I just hope that you realize that deep down… I'm speaking from the heart here." Mike exhaled hard, finishing the dregs of his drink and watching the last two customers walk out of the door together, hand in hand. _Ouch._

"I know that. Heck… you've been looking at me like a lost puppy since you arrived, silly. Don't think I didn't notice. It's… one of the things I liked about you most when we first met. So caring… so considerate… and that's why-"

"Look, Mike…." Tiffany reached out again – eyes apologetic, heavy with feeling. Oh no. This wasn't going to end well. "I want to believe in you. I really do. The time we've been together? It's been lovely…. You were always there for me… but- but-"

The hammer loomed – just as Venus had warned when they met back at his apartment. _Seeing things through until the end didn't guarantee anything. Life didn't work that way._ The past with Kyanna was strong, stinging proof of that.

Wiping away a couple of thin watery lines, grabbing a tissue from the pocket of her shirt, the gorgeous girl dabbed her eyes dry, a tiny giggle slipping out – one so soft and innocent that it actually hurt.

"You're gonna think I'm silly… but I used to see myself as a fairy-tale princess. The girl in the middle, juuuust right compared to my friends. I wanted a happy ending, kept on hoping for prince charming to gallop along on his white horse and whisk me away…. Being in actual relationship? I finally figured out it doesn't work like that all the time. It was silly of me. Hopeful. Naïve."

Mike held his head low – in came the hammer, crashing down to deliver things to their rightful conclusion, their _only conclusion_. Nodding, showing his understanding, was the very best he could do. He had no right to contest someone else's feelings after being so confused himself.

No more hiding his face. it was best to hold up his head high and face what waited up ahead with a shred of pride. "So… I'm guessing this is where we part ways. It sounds like that's what you want… and I'm not going to argue against that if it's how you feel."

Tiffany gave a sad smile – the saddest he'd seen in the time they'd been together.

"I'm not," she paused halfway, another lonely tear leaking out, staining her cheek. "I'm not saying I don't ever want to see you again, Mike… because that's not it at all. No… I want to see you again… I… I just-"

It was now that she took hold of the paper she'd brought, folding it into Mike's palms, caressing his fingers for the slightest instant before edging back. "You hurt me more than any guy's ever hurt me before… and I know I wasn't great when I accused you of things with Kyanna…. I can't forgive what you did with my mom but- Oh… darn it… I'm still such a mess…"

Tiffany broke – a tiny deluge leaking in painful silence, teardrops pattering against the tabletop.

Mike couldn't watch her cry like that – it hurt far too much, like small icy fingers gripping tight and twisting around in his chest. He couldn't hold back - up from his booth seat in a second flat, beside Tiffany, offering comfort, and though hesitant at first, she threw her arms around his shoulders and held on tight.

For the longest time they stayed together – two people in an almost empty coffee house, holding on with everything they had. There'd been far too much said and done to carry on, and yet – it didn't seem like the gorgeous girl next door wanted to entirely let go. It was only after she dried her eyes again against Mike's shirt that she carried on.

"I think we both need to focus on ourselves for a while. I have school… and I'm working toward an internship at Glenberry General. There's so much I need to do… and I don't think we're good for each-other after so much has happened."

"Maybe in the future… once I've taken the time to finish my studies… when I find it in me to let go of everything… we'll see. You should do the same. Focus on you. You mean a lot to me Mike… but you have problems too."

No sense in denying that – not after it'd cost so much. This was the right thing to do and deep down Mike knew it. Being level-headed about that this would end up better for the both of them. He couldn't allow a repeat of the emotionally-driven mess that was his bond with Kyanna to play out again.

"I'm with you on this one. It's for the best. I'll miss you and I won't try to hide that for a second… but… there comes a point when you have to say enough is enough. After tonight? I'll stop texting… but my number won't change… so you need me? You know we're I'll be."

"West Drive." Tiffany smiled sadly, squashing him close in one final, emotional embrace, pouring everything she had left into it. "The number I gave you? It's for my new cell. It's going to be a while before mom gets my number again… but I don't mind you having it… _for a rainy day._ "

"Thank you. Thank you so much, Tiff.. for trusting me at least a tiny bit."

"You're welcome… and Mike?"

"What's up?"

A terse, fleeting instant, so quick that it almost didn't happen. The softness of Tiffany's lips brushed up against Mike's cheek, but before he knew it, she was gone – already halfway across the room, wrapped up warm in her hoodie – ready to brave the cool springtime weather.

"Take care of yourself and stay safe on your way home. I hope you find what you're looking for."

Not another word. Tiffany gave her friend behind the counter a quick wave, and just like that she was out the door, an arm wrapped around her tummy for warmth as she braved the cool nip outside.

Alone with his thoughts, Mike let out a deep exhale, flopping, exhausted into the cushions of his booth seat. The wall clock at the back of the room kept ticking onward. Nine-thirty, and all he could do was sit there quietly, trying his best to square away his heavy feelings, stop them from dragging him down with their almost toppling weight.

"Looks like you were right, Venus. Seeing things through until the end doesn't always give you the answer you're hoping for… but at least I can sit here and say I saw things through until the end."

"Hey," a low, disinterested voice yanked Mike back to the reality around him. "We've closing in thirty minutes. Don't take too long, alright? I've got levels to grind and dungeons to explore. I wanna get home."

Tiffany's friend – supposedly the most antisocial barista this side of Glenberry if the rumors were anything to go by. Mike waved her off, watching as she adjusted her wide-framed spectacles and threw a heavy groan his way.

"I could never date a guy like you. I don't know what goes through that girl's head sometimes."

Her snide jab while the manager was out of earshot was lovely. Mike shook his head, unable to choke back a dry, mocking scoff. "Not that I blame you for feeling that way, lady."

Wow, talk about obnoxious. Nikki didn't seem like the kind of girl he'd fall over his feet to date, either.

* * *

A long walk home across town brought with it plenty of time to think. As Mike turned the corner and made his way past the lights and tumping music of Lusties nightclub, the sight of a flash limousine brought him to pause in a moment of marvelling. Black chrome finish – tinted windows – the real deal.

"Wonder who's in the passenger seat of flash set of wheels like those?"

Shrugging, his interest and quiet envy fizzling out just as quickly as they came, the singer got on his way. The lines of people stood waiting outside the club didn't matter, and neither did anything else in particular. All he wanted to do was get home and think things through, althrough he already had a pretty good idea where he'd go from here.

Tiffany's advice rang fresh in his ears. "Spend some time focusing on myself. Get my head together and deal with my pr-"

The limo at the roadside beeped its horn – the mass of students huddled in Lusties' doorway looking with intrigue. It was still none of Mike's interest, no matter how much the owner of the car wanted to draw attention to themselves.

"And people call me a show o-"

"Mister Winters." That voice. Mike found his feet stuck to the spot – a golden outline tracing his body, holding him in place. The limousine's passenger side door swung open, and in the back seat, there sat a figure most gorgeous and regal, her awe-inspiring hourglass figure adorned in a white and red robe. "A word if you will."

Venus – the goddess herself was here again – having stepped down from her throne for a second outing. She seemed as disinterested as before, too, casually filing her nails as a short, brunette crammed into a black, floral-patterned dress leaned over from the oppisate seat, flashing him a warning glare with deep brown eyes.

"Get in. Don't keep Miss Venus waiting."

Again with the fairy bodyguards ordering him around. Mike rolled his eyes, wanting more than anything to turn and walk into the night, but it didn't feel like there was a choice here. Surrendering, he did as he was asked, ignoring the whispers and questioning voices of the student crowd watching from the doorway of Lusties. They could gossip as much as they wanted.

* * *

For the first leg of the journey, Venus remained all too quiet, her magical aura proving so much to handle that it brought a twisting, nauseating twinge to the stomach. How much power could one woman have?

Mike kept himself steady, hands folded in his lap, waiting nervously, taking the first drink he was offered, a tall glass of bubbly golden champagne – from the second of the goddesses' petite magical protectors – a curvy blonde with freckled cheeks and the most adorable smile. Away from the prying eyes of the human world, she sprouted the thin, red-blue wings from her back, giving him a teasing wink.

"Drink up, cutie."

Down in one – enjoying the crisp, sharp taste as it crawled down his throat. The singer focused in again, his attention pulled like the force of gravity toward the deity, at her beck and call with the faintest sigh. Her presence commanded absolute respect.

"I trust that your escapades have taught you a lesson, mortal? Kyu has been reprimanded for her actions. She's attending long-term retraining classes over in the Lower City. I shall not be allowing her to make any further contact with you for the foreseeable future."

Mike handed the empty drink glass off – fighting against the nervy feeling in his stomach. "Yeah… After everything that's gone down here I'd say it's been a real… _sobering_ experience…"

Snapping her fingers, Venus summoned up a stack of papers in a bright sizzle of golden light. Holding them between her fingers, she reached for a pen from one of her lackeys.

"Yes, of course you feel that way. I'd anticipated as much. Oh well. One cannot attain a happy conclusion in every instance. The human heart is too fragile a thing for such fanciful desires."

"No matter," she shook her head, seeming to go from vauge interest to that sharp 'business' tone of hers in the blink of an eye. Before Mike so much as realized it, a piece of paper rested in his hands.

"Read it and sign," the goddess instructed, leaning her head against the leather seat with a petite, impatient exhale. "I don't usually sully my hands with the trivialities of paperwork, but in this instance I am willing to make an exception. It isn't often one of my own acts against my best interests."

"Before I do." Mike had to level with her. There was still so much he didn't know, and outside of Kyu's heated explanation he still felt lost in the dark. "Let me ask you something."

"Kyu wanted me to deal with a guy called Ronnie, right? McShagger. What's the situation there? Why'd she want _me_ to do it? It was obviously important enough for her to go behind your back."

"That is not for you to know." Venus remained stoic yet stern – giving an impatient tap of her sandaled foot against the blush velvet carpet at her feet. "Simply be thankful that you know as much as you do…. The fairy world is not a concern of yours."

Nope – that wasn't a good enough answer. The musician needed to know everything. This whole situation, all of Kyu's meddling had cost him and the girl he loved very dearly, and nothing short of the truth would give the closure he needed to move on and start piecing things back together. Time to play rough.

"That's alright… but what if I say I'm not signing this paper of yours until you tell me everything I want to know?"

"Don't play coy with me." Venus snapped her fingers, a powerful golden flash blasting bright, powerful enough to bring a wave of dizzying heat through Mike's head. When the light clearned, his entire body glowed with an ominous purple aura. It felt cold.

"If you sign your name on the dotted line and agree to the absolution of your contract, I will allow you to retain your memories of Kyu and all of the events that took place as a result of her arrival. That in itself should be enough."

Dammit she was on point – too good to argue with. The one thing too precious to gamble and the green-haired beauty simply laid it out on the table as her opening hand of cards. _Every memory of Kyu, good and bad, held in the balance._

Why fight? He'd come to terms with the loss of Tiffany, but having Miss Sugardust wiped away went against the very things he was feeling, the closure he sought as an all important milestone to move on.

' _There's no choice… as much as I don't like this.'_

Taking the pen into his hand, Mike ran his eyes across the fine print of the contract paper.

' _'Instead of following guidelines, Miss Sugardust (due to her personal feelings) decided to deliberately guide her client in an unsavoury direction which she believed would ultimately favour her own ends. Given the extended period since the foundation of their contract, and no agreeable results on the relationship front, I have found that from this day onward, Kyu will be placed on an intensive course of retraining, and not be allowed to interact with Mister Winters for the near future. Their contract is hereby terminated. However, I will not be taking it upon myself to afflict Winters with purple magic.'_

A scribble of his signature across the dotted line was all it took.

' _Mike Andew Winters…'_

"Very good." Venus seemed pleased, for all it was worth. Another snap of her fingers and the paper vanished from his hands. "I'd say that concludes our business here."

Everything pulled to an abrupt stop, the door to the limo swinging open yet again. Mike peered out, greeted by the comforting sight of a tall, new building of stylish glass and metal. The apartment complex – home. How'd they get here in five flat minutes? The power of magic, maybe?

"I take it this is my cue to get going."

"Yes... _but where will you go from here,_ Mister Winters? What will the future bring when you step out of this car?"

Venus' question brought silence – a deep moment of thought crashing home.

The answer was all too simple.

"I'm gonna hit the road for a while… head back home… _find myself."_

" _Hmmm._ " A tiny instant of pondering on the part of the goddess. She waved Mike off. What was that look across her face? Was she even the slightest bit interested in how he felt, what he had to say?

"You intend to win back the heart of Miss Maye?"

Mike didn't give her the luxury of a response right away, instead looking to one of the fairy bodyguards, the one who'd given him the drink, gifting her with a suave, teasing wink.

"I plan to try."

"Very well then. It would seem in this instance… you are not the one select few that we so desperately need _. How ironic that despite all of this... you couldn't prove yourself worthy of the final test."_

Now _that_ tone of voice right there? I got Mike's attention, alright. Eying those golden eyes, locking his gaze with that of the gorgeous almighty, he prepared to level one last question – a simple question.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Who knows?" Venus dismissed him with a shrug of the shoulders. "But I'll say this much."

"Perhaps next time," she began with an all-knowing smile. _"You should choose Miss Sugardust when you make your fateful phone call…."_

A handful of words gave way to a dozen different memories.

Mike's eyes shot wide. "You knew about that?"

"But of course, Mike. I know _everything_ there is to know."

Leaving a bewildered singer in the pouring rain, the limo pulled away.

"Whatever you say, Venus... About time I head home for a while... see the family, see Lillian again."

Moving under the apartment building's entranceway canopy, as flimsy a shield from the elements as it was, brought time to think.

"So you were testing me?" Mike scoffed at that, staring with sentiment toward the night sky. "Doesn't matter in the end."

This whole chaotic mess of feelings and desires had left behind one important point - one he'd never forget.

"I did my best... Y _ou can't win them all._ "

**End**

_**Alternatively, you could read Kisses and Raindrops for a very different outcome to this story. The choice is yours.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it. Over a year of writing, this path of the story. We've reached the end at last Honestly, given Tiffany's character, I couldn't see this one ending any other way. There might be an epilogue chapter a little further down the line. We'll see!
> 
> Did you enjoy this story? How do you feel now that we've reached the end. Feel free to leave some feedback. I'd really like to hear your thoughts since this is the final chapter.
> 
> As always, keep on supporting Huniepop and Huniecam Studio!
> 
> More to come on Kyu's route shortly!


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